


To Swear On Your Life

by Nova_Fearnewood



Series: Swearing and Promising [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fertility Issues, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, non-grapic sex, somewhat team fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 89,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nova_Fearnewood/pseuds/Nova_Fearnewood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Natasha is haunted by her memory of the Helicarrier incident and her fear of the Hulk, a certain Doctor is also left with the awful memory. Romance blooms in the strangest of places but true love can withstand any hardship. My first story, please be kind. I already suck at summaries. Rated for some language, violence (nothing too terribly gory), and non-descriptive adult scenarios in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides the OC's. POV switches between Natasha and Bruce. This is my first story, so please be kind.

* * *

** Natasha POV **

_Darkness formed around me and then shattered into a glowing green abyss, and then I was falling. My feet somehow found stable ground and I began to run. He was going to catch me, I knew it. I was going to die at the hands of the Hulk. He was going to kill me no matter how fast I ran or how well I hid. It was his transformation that set me running for my life. "I swear on my life that you will be okay!" I cried out to him as I ran. The Hulk roared out, "YOUR LIFE?!" and followed me in hot pursuit. I felt his hand slam me into the wall and he advanced on me with a mighty roar as I screamed in pure terror._

_I watched the scene from above as he smashed my skull and trampled my broken body. Then the Hulk seemed to calm down and fall asleep, his enemy finally dead, my blood splattered everywhere. He shrunk down to the size of a normal man and the green faded from his skin. My blood did not. Dr. Bruce Banner began to stir now, shaking his head and groaning as he picked himself up off the floor. He glanced around before he noticed the blood splattered on his skin and coating his hands. He whispered to himself, "Oh God no. Please tell me that this is my blood.", before he turned and saw my mangled body. Bruce dropped to his knees and began to sob uncontrollably, tears flowing freely from his deep brown eyes. "NOOOOO!"_

I awoke with a start, my breathing coming in short breaths, my heart pounding. I rolled over on my bed and grimaced at three things about today: one, the sun was glaring in at me. Two, today was my birthday and three, I would be haunted by that nightmare for God knows how long. Then I remembered why I hated my birthday so much and I felt like vomiting.

When I was with the Red Room, before I was spared by Clint in Budapest, my birthday was always a time of uncertainty. I padded into my bathroom, undressed, turned on the shower and stepped into the hot stream. Every year on one day, coincidentally my birthday, the director of the Red Room would line up all of us girls, read from a list and then those that were called out would have their throats slit for messing up in the past year. I shuddered as I remembered my 17th birthday, the last year I was with the Red Room, and the events that took place that day.

**_*Flashback*_ **   
_"Now I want to congratulate you three Black Widows for making it so far over the course of thirteen years." Director Vladimir looked at us three with a smirk playing on his lips, "As you three know, every year on this night, we call out the names of those…Sub-par spiders… and we make an example of them." A diabolical grin spread across his face, "Tonight is the night when one of you will rise to the challenge of becoming the final Black Widow. This will be a three-way brawl for the title. It is your job to kill the other two that stand in your way. On your mark, get set, FIGHT! "_   
**_*End Flashback*_ **

I stepped out of the shower and toweled my hair dry, slipping into my fluffy bathrobe, before brushing my teeth. I scowled at my reflection as I remembered snapping the neck of my first opponent and decapitating the second, watching as Director Vladimir gave me a standing ovation, along with the rest of the other trainers and master assassins. The pride I felt that day was unmatched, truly smiling for the first time in years; even as I dropped the severed head of my former colleague unceremoniously on the ground. The thought of how truly sick in the head I was at seventeen was enough to cause Fury to piss his pants. I pulled on a pair of black yoga pants and a blood red T-shirt, slipped into my shoes and ran a comb through my damp hair before heading out of my room and taking the elevator up to the living area.

I silently prayed that Tony didn't decide to pull any stupid "Happy Birthday" shit today. I love Pepper like a sister, but if Tony calls me the birthday girl, I'll have to beat some sense into that dense skull of his. As luck was in my favor that day, the only one in the living area at seven AM was Steve. He grinned at me as I sat down on one of the vacant stools at the island.

"Good morning Natasha. I hope you slept well."

He glanced up at me, noticed my ashen expression and asked,

"Hey, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

He poured me a steaming cup of coffee, black, just like I liked it, and then moved around the kitchen island to sit next to me. I sighed, and explained the nightmare and told him about my birthday. His brows came together as he slipped into deep thought about my nightmare before saying,

"Gee, you sure had one heck of a nightmare," He looked over at me and patted my hand, " at least today is your birthday!"

He grinned warmly. Then I grimly explained to him why my birthdays were so horrible too.

The grin slid off his face and I could tell he felt genuinely sorry for me. Then he leaned in and gave me a hug, which took me by surprise, as the Captain was known for being a blushing mess around women. Even seeing how women in the 21st century dressed made him shift in his seat. He must've felt really bad, so I hugged him back, even if I hated hugs (they made me feel all mushy and emotional). We broke apart and then I heard the elevator ding open behind me.

Tony sauntered out with a smug look on his face before saying,

"Jarvis, can you give me a tune to set the tone for today?"

The AI responded "Of course, sir."

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata began to play throughout the living area. Steve started snickering at him. Tony rolled his eyes and said,

"Hey Jarvis, we aren't in a freaking funeral home here. Play something for Natasha."

Jarvis responded with an "Alright sir" and the song changed to the 'Birthday' song by the Beatles. Tony sang along, as I gave him an icy cold stare, preparing to give him a sound ass kicking. Then Pepper got off the elevator with two gift bags, Tony pulling out a third and fourth one from behind the bar.

Pepper ran over to me and embraced me,

"Happy Birthday, Natasha!" she cried as she handed me the gift bags and was enthusiastically telling me to open them. I couldn't help but smile as I opened up one bag and pulled out a designer handbag, holding it up as Pepper snapped a picture with her phone, then I opened the other bag and pulled out a pair of ruby and onyx earrings. I was thanking Pepper when Tony said,

"Excuse me Pep; here you go Nat. Happy Birthday." I opened up the first bag and pulled out a bottle of expensive imported vodka. Tony handed me the other bag but when I went to open it, Pepper said,

"This is from the both of us. Jarvis, can you pull up the surveillance camera for slot 25 in the Garage level?"

The AI responded "Of course Miss Potts. Happy Birthday, Agent Romanoff."

The kitchen screen flashed to life and showed us a charcoal black and candy apple red Chevrolet Camaro, the convertible edition. My hand closed around a set of car keys as I momentarily forgot the reason why I hated my birthday, because this was actually my first car. In Russia, I didn't own a car because I was always taking the train everywhere. When I joined SHIELD, we had chauffeurs that drove us everywhere. This was the best day ever.

The elevator doors opened and the very person who I feared walked out of them. Ladies and gents, the one, the only, Dr. Bruce Banner.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

_I was running after Natasha, who yelled out that she swore on her life that I would be okay. Then I realized the Other Guy was controlling me, because I (or was it the Hulk?) who roared out the words "YOUR LIFE!?" and continued to chase Natasha until my vision went dark and I heard a bloodcurdling scream followed by a warm feeling spreading over me which I realized was the Hulk calming down so that I could take over once more. I lifted my head as my vision went back to normal. I shook my head as I picked myself up off the floor. Then I noticed it. The warmth on my hands was due to the fact that they were covered in fresh blood. I hoped to God that nobody was hurt and whispered "Oh God no. Please tell me this is my own blood." I glanced over and then I saw Natasha's broken and bloodied corpse. I began to cry, tears flowing from my eyes and I yelled out "NOOOOO!" I guess I really am a monster._

I awoke with a start, my pillow wet with tears and apparently the Other Guy had seen the horrible dream too, because I was fighting to keep him back. I did the only thing I could do at this point and I breathed deeply, curling up in my blankets and crying, getting it out of my system. I have had dreams like this before, all ending with the Other Guy killing whoever I was chasing. It was terrible and all I wanted was to have one night to just sleep and not dream.

I decided on getting up and facing the world. As I reflected on my dream, I took a shower, shaved, brushed my teeth, got dressed and attempted to halfway tame my hair, which ended up looking wavy for once. I walked out and opened up my nightstand drawer, pulling out Natasha's birthday presents, a delicate gold necklace that had a Black Widow spider as the pendant (thank you Tony for the cash) and a black leather diary with her initials 'NAR' embossed into the cover in red and gold letters. I walked out of my room and took the elevator up to the living level. I walked out and saw Natasha, Steve, Pepper and Tony celebrating Natasha's birthday. When Natasha looked at me, the uncharacteristic grin slid off her face and was replaced with her normal stoic expression.

"Good morning Bruce!"

Tony greeted me with a smile and a thump on my back. Natasha got up from where she was and walked out onto the balcony, taking her coffee with her. Pepper looked up as she left and asked,

"What's up with her?"

Steve got up and walked over to me, and I was immediately pulled off to the side. Steve looked at me and said that Natasha had a rough morning and had a nightmare about her death,

"…Maybe you should go out there and talk to her, give her your gifts and have a friendly conversation."

I shrugged and then told Steve about my own nightmare. As the retelling continued Clint, Agent Serena Atwell (Clint's girlfriend), Agent Hill, Phil Coulson, Thor with a very pregnant Jane on his arm, Nick Fury, and Darcy got off the elevator with gifts for Natasha. Steve's eyes were getting wider and wider by the second. I reached the end of the retelling Steve looked like his brain was about to stop working and he said,

"Um, Bruce, this may sound beyond strange to you but you and Natasha had the exact same dream, only from different perspectives."

I was dumbfounded as I removed my glasses and swept my fingers through my hair before I said,

"That's practically impossible. You're not kidding are you?"

Steve shook his head and said,

"You should go talk to her."

Then his girlfriend Beth got off the elevator and greeted him with a light kiss on his jawbone that made him turn beet red.

I sighed, made myself a cup of chai tea and went out on the balcony, gifts in my hand. Natasha noticed my presence and she sat down at the small table for two. I sat down across from her and said,

"Hey, happy birthday Natasha." in a soft voice.

I slid her gifts across the table; she glanced up and said,

"Bruce, I can't pretend that what happened on the Helicarrier was just a one-time thing, neither can you. You almost killed me, and if it wasn't for Thor knocking you through a wall, you probably would have."

She looked me straight in the eyes, her green ones locking with my brown ones. Clenching my fist under the table, I said,

"Natasha, I'm trying my hardest to control the Hu- the Other Guy, but sometimes I can't control him, like what happened on the Helicarrier. That was a genuine accident. I'm sorry that the Other Guy nearly killed you, really I am."

"Easy now," I thought as I took a deep breath and un-clenched my fists, "we don't want the Other Guy coming out."

I looked down at my hands and sighed. She reached over and took the smaller package that was covered in Avengers themed wrapping paper and tore it open to find the jewelry box, opened it up and gasped ever so softly at the Black Widow necklace in it, she glanced up at me and said,

"Hey, do you think you can help me put this on?"

I stood up and fastened the necklace around her neck. She turned around, traced the golden spider lightly and said "thanks" softly.

I watched as she ripped the paper off of the diary and she grinned as she flipped through the blank pages. She stood up and grabbed her gifts and coffee mug before heading inside where all the Avengers plus a few other people who were agents of SHIELD or the girlfriends (in Jane's case, the wife) of team members. Just as the door was about to close behind her, she turned back and said "Thanks Bruce."

I ran my fingers through my hair and thought about the dream while I sipped my tea. The Other Guy was finally silent, for now. I nearly dropped my tea when Thor bellowed behind me,

"SIR BRUCE! COME AND JOIN IN THE MERRY BREAKFAST FEAST TO CELEBRATE LADY ROMANOFF'S DAY OF BIRTH! AND MY LADY JANE WISHES FOR YOU TO FEEL THE LITTLE WARRIOR KICK WITHIN HER WOMB!"

This was going to be a long day full of social contact. It wasn't that I was antisocial; I just preferred the peace and quiet laboratory work brought me. I walked inside to find the ultimate example of family. Steve and Beth were making breakfast, Pepper was keeping Tony away from the bourbon and scotch (much to his dismay), Maria Hill and Phil Coulson were holding hands, Clint and Serena were shooting each other sappy smiles as they set the table, Fury was talking to Darcy about using stun guns, Thor was sitting next to Jane on the couch with a hand on her abdomen and they would smile as they felt the baby kick. Natasha was standing up, looking out the window over the New York skyline. I walked over to her and she flinched as I said "Happy Birthday." Just then, Beth called everyone to the table.

We all sat down and Steve asked all of us, to please join hands to say a prayer before eating. He prayed for God to bless the food, give us strength, and keep us safe, to bless our Avengers family, to bless the agents of SHIELD, and to protect everyone in the world from harm. We ate waffles and talked about everything under the sun, from gamma rays, to the 'Little Warrior' that could be born any day, to Serena Atwell's extreme love of owls. Then Fury's phone started to ring and we all had a good laugh at his ringtone, which just ended up being the theme song for 'Men in Black'.

Fury excused himself for a moment to take the call and he came back with his face solemn, as per usual. He said,

"Agent Romanoff, I apologize for asking you to do this on your birthday, but we need you to go on a simple hit mission. The guy is dangerous, he almost killed Agent Atwell last year, so we need you to go in and bust his rocks."

Natasha glanced up and asked,

"Where is he and why can't you send another agent?"

"He is in downtown Seattle and the reason why we can't send in another agent I because he nearly killed Agent Atwell and she is the only female agent close enough to your level that we could send for the job. The guy has a thing for females, he got suspicious when we sent Agent Harford last spring, and we had to pull him out early. We could send Agent Hill, but we all know that she can only do so much without aggravating that disc in her back, which leaves you. Don't worry, it'll be a simple Bing, Bam, Boom type deal and you'll be back by tonight."

Natasha seemed to think about this for a second before she agreed to go and take this guy out. The Other Guy inside of me seemed to wholly disagree. He snarled from the back of my mind, begging to be let out. I started to get a nauseating feeling in my gut like Natasha wasn't going to be okay by herself on this mission. I quickly put the thought out of my mind, there wasn't anyone more suited for a job than her. That didn't stop me from making a fool of myself by standing as she stood. I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Natasha say,

"Bruce? What are you doing?"

I thought for a second and made up something like,"

"I have to get more tea."

Tony gave me a look that had 'Bullshit' written all over it, so did Fury. Apparently I'm a bad liar and a humongous, green, rage monster.

Natasha ran back with her uniform on, her legendary Widow's Bite charged and ready for action, I noticed her slip the Black Widow necklace into her jumpsuit and zip it up.

"I'm ready to go. Fury, can you have one of the agents give me the coordinates before I take off from the Helicarrier?"

"No problem, you may want to open up my gift so you can use it on your mission."

Natasha found the box Fury was referring to and opened up to find a new six inch serrated steel blade and holster. She smiled again, which was very uncharacteristic of her as she grabbed her car keys, put the holster with the knife in it on, and yelled out , "See you guys later tonight!"

I had the strange feeling that I would see her tonight, just extremely injured. Pushing the thought out of my mind, I took my tea and went down to my laboratory.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

As I snuck into the lair of this guy, an ungodly stench hit me and almost knocked me off my feet. His nickname was 'The Ripper' and it was then that I realized this guy actually lived up to his name. There were severed limbs, heads and he even had a couple rotting torsos hanging around the place which explained the smell. I heard a scuffle behind me, I whipped around and a rag was pushed over my mouth and nose. The smell of chloroform filled my head as my eyelids began to droop.

I woke up later and realized that those bastards had me chained to a wall. I tried to inhale deeply, but I was having trouble as I coughed and tasted blood in my mouth. I wasn't going to last very long in this condition. Lucky for me, they didn't take my earpiece and I made it look like I was rubbing my shoulder across the side of my head when really I was pushing the button to call for backup on my communicator. I heard a voice on the other end ask me how many people to send to my location. I looked around and, seeing nobody, asked for Clint Barton and Serena Atwell to come in for me. I coughed again as I heard a door being opened and closed next to me. This disgusting looking guy walked over to me and asked me,

"Who are you, who sent you and are you enjoying having broken ribs with internal bleeding?"

I glared at him and said nothing at all. Clint's voice came over my earpiece and he told me that he and Serena were about to land and that they brought a gurney in case I was injured. The guy came up to me and pulled a gun out, held it to my thigh and fired. Just before I blacked out though, he punched me in my ribs again and I saw an arrow go through his head. Then my world went black.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I heard the elevator go ding and out of my peripheral vision, I saw Clint and Serena run down the hallway to the Armory. My heart skipped a beat and the Other Guy tried to get out. Tony ran into the lab and pushed the button for the alcove where he kept the latest model of his Iron Man suit and I watched as the suit opened up and built itself around him. I found my voice and asked Tony what was wrong. I heard him say that SHIELD just got a distress call from Natasha and that he was going to secure the finest suite in the nearest hospital for her, he said that I should go upstairs to sit with Thor, Jane, Captain Virginity, and Beth. I wasn't thinking so I just took Tony's word and figured that Natasha would be alright. I didn't ignore the voice of the Hulk in the back of my head yelling "HULK SMASH MAN WHO HURT HULK'S PRETTY SPIDER!"

I stopped short as I realized what the Other Guy had just said. The Hulk was claiming Natasha as his own. He wanted to make sure nobody ever hurt Natasha again. I felt like slamming my head into a wall.

It was true that I cared about Natasha and all, but I didn't care about her like that.

According to the Other Guy, the embodiment of my emotions, I did.


	2. A Rose Of A Different Color

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her brush with the Ripper, Natasha is hospitalized and her friends come to visit her.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I fell in and out of consciousness and caught parts of conversations as I was taken somewhere. Then I woke up completely. I heard the steady beeping of a heart rate monitor and opened my eyes. The light was harsh and I squinted until my eyes adjusted. The first thing I noticed was a medium sized table full of presents, balloons, flowers and cards.

I thought about the events that led up to me being in the hospital, all I could recall was the necklace that Bruce had given me and then how he had stood with me at breakfast.

There was something about him that caught my attention whenever he entered a room. Just watching him work gave me goose bumps, but in a good way.

From the way he absentmindedly swept his hair back, to how he spoke in his gentle yet pained tone, to his kind brown eyes that were so full of emotion.

I reached up with a bandaged hand to touch the spider pendant. I was starting to feel something different towards Bruce, though I had no clue what it was. Some instinct told me it was sentiment.

"No, it can't be that.", my conscience argued, "Sentiment is for the weak. It is a mere stepping stone on the dangerous path towards affection and love, which is for children and is just as deadly as poison."

Pushing the internal battle I was having into the back of my mind; I tried to swallow, then panicked when I noticed there was a thick tube down my throat.

I pressed the call button on the side of my bed and a pair of nurses ran into my room, followed by Pepper and Serena. Pepper held my bandaged hand as Serena told me that I had to stay calm. The nurses removed the tube from my throat and then they took my vitals. One of them introduced herself as Lydia and the other nurse introduced himself as Mark. Lydia proceeded to tell me what had happened,

"Miss Romanoff, you have several broken ribs and a broken femur. The muscles in your left thigh will take some time to heal. You are also suffering from a punctured lung. Thank the powers that be for quick thinking on the part of Mr. Barton, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

I glanced over at Serena who nodded. Then Pepper pulled up a chair as the nurses left and said,

"When Clint and Serena got the distress call from you, they rushed to base and almost stole a Quinjet just to get to you ASAP."

She patted my hand as Serena sat down and spoke,

"You were in pretty bad shape when we got to you. The Ripper got away in the end, but Fury isn't going to blame you for any of this. This was your first slip up and you didn't give them any information other than the fact that SHIELD is hunting them down, so he isn't too pissed off at you. Clint saved your life. If he hadn't performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, you would've died."

She sat back and said,

"Phew, your guardian angel must have one hell of a time saving your arse."

The door to my room opened and Bruce walked in carrying a dozen lavender roses in a simple vase. He looked up upon seeing that I was awake and gestured toward the stack of gifts.

"It's good to see that you're awake. You may have been in a medically-induced coma for the past five days, but we visited you every day in shifts. Since you never truly got to celebrate your birthday, we brought the celebration to you."

I went to speak but all I could manage to say was, " Nurghh."

Tony walked in just in time to hear my epic fail. He smirked at me and asked,

"Romanoff, are you always that articulate?"

I cleared my throat and asked him in a raspy whisper,

"Are you always this self-absorbed?"

"Touché Carrot top."

"Piss off, Stark."

"Could you two please not start an argument?" Pepper scolded lightly as Tony stuck his tongue out at me.

He grabbed the TV remote, flopped down in a chair and flipped through the channels until he started watching Spongebob. His voice dripped with sarcasm as he said,

"This hospital food is just the greatest thing in the world." Then his face lit up like he got a good idea.

"Hey Pepper, let's go and get some shawarma after this episode is over."

Pepper rolled her eyes at him.

Bruce pulled his chair up to my bedside and said,

"You gave us all a scare, especially when we heard about your condition. I'm so glad to see that you're healing well." He went slightly pink in the face before adding, "We all are."

I couldn't help but notice the look of concern in his eyes as he gazed at my visible injuries.

"DEAR FRIENDS!"

I jumped painfully as Thor came into my room, a huge smile on his face. I whispered,

"Hey, Thor?"

"YES, LADY ROMANOFF?"

"Do you think you could please speak in an softer tone? I have a bit of a headache."

"Of course, Lady Romanoff, would you like to see Lady Jane? She says she has been dying to see you." He said softly.

I nodded as he left with Serena who said she needed to find Clint. Pepper, noticing the tension in the air, left to go take care of some paperwork and she practically dragged Tony away from the TV as he complained how Squidward didn't find his clarinet yet. This left Bruce and I in an awkward silence, which he broke by saying,

"Um, Natasha? The Hulk seems to have this notion…uh…" he trailed off

I glanced over at him.

"When did you stop referring to the Hulk as the Other Guy?" I asked in pure amazement.

"When I realized that fear of a name only increases a fear of the thing itself." He said bravely.

"Oh, then what is this notion that the Hulk has?"

Bruce looked away from me and said,

"The Hulk seems to think that you belong to him, that you're there for him to protect and that nobody should ever be allowed to hurt you." He let out a breath that he was holding.

I couldn't believe my ears. The Hulk, the terror of my dreams, had feelings for me?

Bruce looked at me like he was horrified at what he had just let himself say.

"Uh Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

"Does this mean that the Hulk has those type of feelings for me?"

* * *

**Bruce POV**

Wow. I can't believe I just said that to Natasha. She must think I'm some sort of idiot for just openly admitting that the Hulk had feelings for her. Or at least saying that the Hulk felt more than just anger. Come to think of it, I'm sure the Hulk must have some sort of feelings, otherwise he wouldn't have caught Tony as he fell from the sky.

"Bruce?"

I realized that I must have been spacing out and responded to her question.

"I guess he does. I wasn't even aware that the Hulk possessed the capacity to feel anything more than rage until now, when I realized he saved Tony from falling to his death last year."

She looked at me with a worried expression and said,

"Do you think that if you have another…incident…that the Hulk will try to claim me?"

I thought about this for a second before deciding to lie,

"I don't know if he will or not, but I suggest that if you're ever around me when I Hulk out that you run as fast as you can in the opposite direction."

She rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like,

"…don't need to tell me twice."

She looked over and seemed to notice how my roses somehow stood out from all the rest. She absentmindedly gazed at them before speaking again.

"Everyone says that the color of a rose symbolizes an emotion, though I never took the time to figure out what those corresponding emotions were."

"I honestly don't know what emotions lavender colored roses symbolize, but they just seemed to suit you somehow."

I was dying to tell her that I knew about the symbolism behind lavender roses, that they symbolize enchantment. I wanted to tell her that there were a lot of things about her that caught my attention. The way she fought with such precision, how her tone of voice gave no sign as to her emotions yet how her body language would tell the whole story, and how her intelligent green eyes were almost hungry for understanding. I wanted to tell her how I truly felt about her and how worried I got whenever she went on a mission, but I kept to myself instead.

Natasha grimaced as she pushed the call button on the side of her bed.

One of the nurses came into the room with Thor and Jane behind him and asked Natasha if she was ready to have her next dose of painkillers. Natasha nodded as Jane came over to her bedside, took Natasha's hand and placed it on her stomach. Natasha looked up in wonder as she felt their 'little warrior' kick.

I looked over at Jane and asked her when she was due.

"It'll be a week this Friday. I'm starting to feel so jittery and the baby feels like it's playing soccer in there." She replied with a smile.

Thor grinned widely and kissed his wife on the cheek before adding,

"We have thought of some names for the little one when they arrive. Do you wish to hear them?"

Natasha and I nodded.

"If Jane bears a son, we shall name him Edward or Phillip with the definite middle name being Loki, for even if he was beyond reason, he was still my adopted brother." Thor explained

"And if it's a girl, we're going to name her either Celeste or Elizabeth with the middle name Bergthora, which means 'the spirit of Thor'." Jane added.

Jane placed Thor's hand over her belly and they felt the baby kick again as Jane cooed to her unborn child,

"You must want to meet your father and I a lot because you feel like you're trying to kick your way out of me!"

"The baby is just shifting into birth position right now, it won't be much longer until you find out if you have a boy or a girl." I said.

Natasha gasped as she felt the baby kick her hand.

I don't think she was aware of it, but she grabbed my hand in surprise. I started to feel the Hulk roar from the back of my head, he obviously enjoyed the feel of her petite hand gently squeezing my large one. To be quite honest, I was enjoying that too.

Thor and Jane got up to leave and the nurse returned with the painkillers along with a new IV bag, hooking it up to Natasha's IV lines, informing us that the painkillers would take ten minutes at the most to set in before leaving us in another awkward silence.

"I know this sounds very strange but the other night I had a nightmare and you were in it." Natasha blurted out suddenly.

My mind jumped back to the terror I felt and the mental image of Natasha's broken body came to mind. The Hulk fought to gain control once more, clawing at the edges of my mind, begging to be released. I stood abruptly, my hand slipping away from hers, as I struggled to gain some control over my emotions. I exhaled deeply before asking,

"Uh, do you mind if I ask what happened in this nightmare?"

"Oh, um… no. It had to do with the Helicarrier incident. You were chasing me and I yelled out that I swore on my life that you would be okay. You yelled out something like 'YOUR LIFE?' and killed me. Then you woke up, saw my body and started to cry. It was the most horrifying things I had ever witnessed. My death, that is. I was so afraid. Isn't that strange?" she asked.

"Not as strange as what you're about to be told.", I said, turning back towards her.

"I had the same dream." I said in a low voice.

Natasha gave me a look that oozed disbelief.

"You're kidding?" she asked incredulously.

I shook my head and sat down. 

"I only wish I was kidding. You saw the same events as I did, only from your perspective. I can't begin to imagine why, or how, we somehow had the same dream,"

I pulled my glasses off and swept my unruly hair off my forehead,

"all I know is that it scared me just as much as it scared you."

I watched as her eyelids began to droop, the painkillers finally setting in, and I went to leave but Natasha called out to me softly.

"Bruce, please don't go yet. What if the nightmare happens again?"

The look on her face made me sit down by her side again, it was a look of genuine fear, one that I recognized from the Helicarrier incident. She didn't pull away as I placed my hand over hers. Her eyelids drooped even further as her fingers intertwined with mine and she whispered,

"I'm not so afraid anymore." before she fell asleep.

I sighed as I brushed a stray lock of red hair off her forehead and leaned in, planting a light kiss on her cheek.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

_I picked my head up and looked about. I was in the living area of Stark Tower and the only one around was me. A noise from the formal dining room caused me to crouch down behind the bar and pull my knife out of its leg holster, ready to attack whoever tried to hurt me. Bruce's voice called out,_

_"Natasha?"_

_My fears evaporated and I sheathed my knife before walking out from behind the bar. Bruce was standing there, dressed in a full tuxedo, and I looked down at what I was wearing._

_I gasped when I found myself in the most beautiful gown I had ever seen. It was sleek grey, hugged my curves and had a slit that ran from my mid-thigh to my high heeled shoes. Bruce held out his arm to me before remembering something as he pulled a single lavender rose out of thin air and gave it to me with a smile as he said,_

_"Come on, we're going to be late for the New Year's Eve Ball over at SHIELD headquarters."_

_I took his arm and we were walking out when I noticed Bruce's eyes flash green._

_I went to run but he was holding my arm too tight and I couldn't move. He didn't Hulk out but he did speak in the Hulk's voice, which scared me more than anything,_

_"HULK WANT SPIDER FOREVER! NOBODY ELSE! OR HULK DECIDE THAT NOONE CAN HAVE PRETTY SPIDER!"_

_I screamed and pulled my knife out of its holster, plunged it into Bruce's chest and hauled ass as he released me momentarily to Hulk out._

_I heard the Hulk roar out behind me,_

_"YOU SWORE ON LIFE THAT BRUCE BE OKAY THEN TRY TO KILL BRUCE! YOU MAKE HULK MAD! HULK SMASH LYING SPIDER!"_

_The Hulk grabbed my leg and threw me out of the huge window, off the side of Stark Tower. I screamed as I fell, waiting to hit the pavement._

"Natasha! Please wake up!" I heard Bruce yell.

I woke suddenly, the hospital lights blinding me momentarily, before Bruce shielded my eyes with one hand and squeezed my hand with the other.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking down on me.

I shook my head and then closed my eyes again, trying in vain to hide the tears that I was too proud to let flow freely. One tear leaked out and then there was no stopping the flow. Bruce must have been horrified to see me, of all people, cry for the first time in nearly eight years.

He just brushed the hair off of my face gently and said,

"We all have bad dreams sometimes, but please don't cry... you're the Black Widow..."

That's when I snapped at him,

"No Bruce, I'm tired of being just the Black Widow, I'm tired of not being allowed to show weakness, I'm tired of not being able to feel like everyone else! I'm tired of feeling different, and you wouldn't understand! So stop pretending like you do!"

I instantly regretted what I said and went to apologize, the tears running freely down my face,

"Bruce, I'm-"

But he cut me off.

"No you listen to me for once, okay!"

I opened my eyes in fear as Bruce walked over to the roses on the table and picked one out of the bouquet, holding it with his back to me. He turned around with the most pained look on his face. He glared at me and said in a harsh tone,

"Natasha, listen to me. You are a human, just like everyone else here! Stop being so hard on yourself! You say you're not allowed to show weakness, yet you make yourself weak by cutting everyone else out of your life, you pay for it when you get injured! You say you're not allowed to feel, yet you're so full of raging emotions that it's hard to guess what's always bothering you! You say you're different? And that I wouldn't understand? Well here's a news flash for you, I am different! Okay! I do understand! And don't you ever say that I don't care, because that's a damn lie and you know it!"

He sank to the floor and began to take deep breaths to keep himself from Hulking out. I was crying harder now, and my ribs were hurting.

"B-Bruce?" I whispered through my tears.

Then I noticed he was holding the lavender rose and he was shaking. He was crying too. He whispered without looking up at me,

"You want to know the symbolism behind the lavender rose?"

I nodded, drying my tears, as he stood.

"The lavender rose is symbolic of enchantment. It suited you because the first time we met in Calcutta I was enchanted by your courage to face what might have easily ended up being your death, and I wasn't enchanted just by your looks. No, I was offered a glimpse of your fears in the second it took you to point that gun at me, and you had a lot of them. I was enchanted by your ability to carry on."

As this message sunk in, Bruce walked over to my bedside and sank down into a chair.

"That is why the lavender rose suits you. You feel the need to hide behind a strong façade in front of us, your friends, and you never open up to anyone. I want to remain enchanted in this great mystery that is you."

I sat there in stunned silence for what seemed like an eternity as his confession registered in my brain, before I chose my words carefully,

" I'm sorry. That was a really inconsiderate thing for me to say. Please forgive me."

"Natasha, I already have."

He handed me the lavender rose. I thought about the confession he had just made and figured that I was going to try something new, call it a change of heart.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

I reached out and held his hand.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to say that you've always enchanted me too. How about I try out this whole 'being human' thing?"

The smile on Bruce's face was all the answer I needed.


	3. The Life of the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha comes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.

* * *

**Steve POV**

Natasha is coming home from the hospital tomorrow, and to be honest, it hasn't been the same without her around the tower.

I've had nobody to spar with, besides Tony in his suit and Serena, who isn't really that much of a challenge. I've been teaching Beth basic self-defense and she has been teaching me these modern exercise routines (Zumba and Yoga, I think she called them).

Tony just told me that he needs all hands on deck to fix up Natasha's new apartment, which is closer to the living area so that she doesn't have to overexert herself. I noticed Bruce standing next to her old apartment door with a sad look on his face, and I asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing. Hey Steve, you can keep a secret right?" he asked.

"Sure can. What's up?"

"I want to do something special for Natasha when she gets back, I just don't know what to do."

I quirked an eyebrow at him and said,

"May I ask why?"

"Um. I really like Natasha and I want to do something, sort of a romantic gesture to show her how much she means to me. I wanted to ask you for advice, honestly because you're the biggest gentleman in the tower."

I widened my eyes and rubbed the back of my neck , until I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and hug me from behind. I felt the heat rising in my face and Bruce grinned at me.

Beth spoke from behind me,

"Take her out to dinner and a movie, it doesn't have to be anything too fancy, just take her to the Olive Garden, Natasha told me that she liked eating there once."

Bruce nodded and went into Natasha's apartment to begin moving furniture onto the elevator, leaving me alone in the hallway with Beth, who stopped hugging me from behind, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss me with a rare hunger for passion; one that nearly caused me to go weak in the knees.

"Ahem?"

We broke apart as Serena cleared her throat awkwardly and said,

"We need help moving boxes to Natasha's new rooms."

I straightened up, blushing madly as I usually did whenever Beth kissed me, brushed myself off and said,

"Sounds like a swell plan to me."

* * *

**The Next morning…**

**Bruce POV**

I awoke from the same repeated nightmare with a yell.

The Hulk smashing her into a wall as she screamed in terror.

My body was bathed in a cold sweat, hands shaking, before I ran out of my room, down the hall and into the Hulk containment unit; shedding my clothes as I went.

I had to let him out sometime just to let him calm down. I locked the door to the unit behind me and proceeded to Hulk out.

A few hours later, I calmed down and shrunk back to my normal size. I ran out of the unit and down the hall to my apartment where I got ready for the little homecoming party we would throw for Natasha today which doubled as a surprise baby shower for Jane.

There had been something nagging at the back of my mind for a while. How to ask Natasha out.

"I'm asking out a world class assassin, how hard can it be?"

I thought to myself as I ate a few peanuts from the bowl on the bar, sitting down on a stool. All of a sudden, Tony popped up from behind the bar and I flinched, knocking the bowl over and sending peanuts everywhere as I yelped.

"Hey Bruce! My Science Brother!"

I could smell the scotch on his breath so I figured he must have been slightly buzzed.

"Jesus Christ Tony, you shouldn't sneak up on me like that."

"What do you want to drink?"

I, under any normal circumstances, would have just asked for my usual Merlot or even a glass of soymilk, but I figured if I was going to get rejected tonight, I may as well celebrate before that happens.

"Can you make a Manhattan?" I asked

A few minutes later, I was sipping my Manhattan and thinking of the best way to get Natasha off on her own when Jarvis announced that Jane and Natasha had just boarded the elevator and were on their way up. The lights went out in the communal area and our small party hushed.

Natasha and Jane walked out with Happy, Tony's head of security, and Jarvis brought up the lights.

"SURPRISE! WELCOME HOME NATASHA AND CONGRATS ON THE BABY, JANE!" all of us yelled in unison (Pepper actually had us practicing for when they entered)

I got up from the bar and went over to hug Natasha

"Welcome home Nat." I murmured into her ear.

"Hey Bruce, it's good to be back." She whispered, sinking deeper into my embrace.

The Hulk began to purr from the back of my mind like a giant green kitty. I smiled at the mental image that thought gave me.

"Natasha!" Serena called out as I let her go.

Serena came hurrying forward, carrying two shots of vodka, one in each hand. She handed Natasha a shot and the two friends threw them back at the same time.

After they had done two more shots, I decided to make my move. I knocked back my Manhattan and walked over to Natasha. Tony had Jarvis playing some smooth jazz and a few couples were swaying softly in the dim light. I tapped her on the shoulder, took a deep breath and went for it.

"Would you like to dance?"

Natasha motioned towards her leg brace and said, flashing a smile,

"Only if you're leading."

I grinned widely as I took her hand and led her out onto the floor. I pulled her close as we swayed next to Beth and Steve, who were lost in the moment. I smiled.

It looked like Steve finally got that dance.

Natasha leaned in and whispered into my ear,

"Bruce, this is the best night of my life."

I took a deep breath and whispered back,

"Wouldyouwannagooutwithmesometime?"

Natasha pulled back in confusion and asked,

"What?"

"Would you want to go out with me sometime?"

"Oh." She sank into my arms, "yes I would."

From the back of my mind, the Hulk was yelling in success.

A cry from across the room caused me to snap out of my moment of glory.

* * *

**Thor POV**

This celebration of the return of Lady Romanoff and the soon-to-be presence of my son or daughter seems to have caused Jane to feel discomfort. She wished to be seated somewhere comfy. As I guided her to the sofa, she doubled over and squeezed my hand so hard I actually felt pain. Lady Potts yelled out that Jane's water had just broken as I glanced down and noticed the tile floor had some liquid splashed upon it. Jane clutched my hand for dear life and looked to be in pain.

"Jane what happened", I asked before her face contorted in agony and she screamed out what I have decided to deem worthy of an Asgardian battle cry.

Lady Potts ran over to my side and Lady Darcy asked if my Jane was going to make it to the hospital or if we needed to take her to the lab.

Jane cried out, "Hospital! Call 911!"

Sir Jarvis responded and said that he had called the paramedics, whoever they were.

Soon a group of men and women rushed into the room and over to Jane. They began to push and jostle me aside, I went to call Mjölnir to my side and summon my battle armor to rescue Jane, but when she saw my hand raised she yelled out for me to leave her be. I would never disobey my Lady Jane.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

Jane was whisked away by the paramedics and I clutched Bruce's hand and said,

"I know this sounds weird coming from someone who spent almost the last two and a half weeks in the hospital, but we have to go back, I have to be there. I promised her that I would be sitting in the waiting room." I pleaded with my eyes and watched as Bruce melted.

"Alright, if it means this much to you." He sighed in resignation.

Soon we were roaring out of slot 25 in the garage level, hitting the streets in my Camaro, with the top down. I looked over at Bruce who was fighting to keep his pesky chestnut hair out of his eyes. I giggled and put the pedal to the metal and tore off to the hospital that Darcy had texted us about (she was allowed to ride with Jane and Thor in the ambulance).

Nearly seven and a half hours, and many cups of coffee later…

I had fallen asleep against Bruce in the waiting room and then I was woken by the sound of a baby crying and the chill of hospital air conditioning which made me snuggle against Bruce's warm body. He nudged me and I got up (much to my dismay) as Thor ran out of the delivery room,

"DEAR FRIENDS! JANE HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO TWO CHILDREN, A SON AND A DAUGHTER! WE SHALL NAME THE BOY EDWARD AND THE GIRL ELIZABETH!"

I was genuinely amazed. Jane and Thor had fraternal twins together and now we would have two little demigods running around.

I had a feeling that I would turn into their 'Auntie Tasha'.

After Thor's announcement, we were told that the godparents were Pepper and Tony. I walked into the delivery room to find a little bundle clutched tight to Thor and Jane's chests. Bruce came up behind me and said

"Aren't they adorable?"

I nodded as Jane held out the pink bundle to me saying in a tired voice,

"Here, you won't hurt her, just hold her gently."

She yawned as I took baby Elizabeth into my arms, Bruce was given baby Edward to hold while Thor leaned in to plant a kiss on his wife's lips and murmur,

"Jane, you did very well. I love you. Pleasant dreams."

He stood and looked at me before holding out his arms to receive Elizabeth.

Bruce gave me Edward to hold for a short period of time before Thor laid both children down in their beds and left as visiting hours were over.

I got myself another shot of Espresso and put the top up to my Camaro before heading home. We gave Steve and Beth a ride back to the tower since they took a cab.

Upon entering the tower, I went to press the number for my floor, but Bruce shook his head and pressed the number for guest level number three, the floor directly below the living level. Bruce explained how these rooms were much more accessible for me with my leg brace and that the rooms were much closer to the elevator, so I wouldn't be overexerting myself. I nodded, too tired to argue back.

As Bruce walked me to my door, I remembered some research that I had done while in the hospital.

Research on the symbolism of rose colors.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"You remember how you said lavender roses symbolized enchantment?"

"Yeah?"

"I did a little bit of research while I was in the hospital."

"And?" He asked

"You were only half right."

He gave me a quizzical look that was adorable in its own way.

"How so?"

Here goes nothing, I was going to sound like a complete jackass.

"They also mean…"

I just couldn't confess this.

"Natasha?"

Maybe I could. Bruce pulled off his glasses and put a strong hand on my shoulder. His warm eyes made my fears disperse.

"They also mean… Love at first sight."

* * *

**Bruce POV**

Wow.

I can honestly say that I didn't see that one coming.

Natasha looked down at her feet and then scrambled for the doorknob.

I panicked and grabbed her wrist. I didn't want her to leave me alone with my swirling thoughts and reactions.

Did I love her at first sight? I mean she's beautiful, but that would be disgraceful, to say you were only in love with a person for their looks.

Then I thought about how I was given that glimpse of her fears when she thought I was going to Hulk out in Calcutta, how afraid she was of me after the battle for NYC. I was amazed by everything she did, and all I wanted to do was remain amazed. Of course the Hulk had things to say too. The first thing he said was "HULK LOVE NATASHA!MAKE HULK HAPPY!WHEN HULK HAPPY, BRUCE HAPPY TOO!"

That seemed like a good enough reason to say yes. So I did.

"Natasha. I have a confession to make."

She just looked at me.

"I did love you at first sight, I just didn't realize that until now." I glanced down at my feet and released her wrist, "If you don't feel the same for me, I completely understand. I- oof"

She cut me off as she kissed me full on the lips, she tasted like cherry chap stick, and my God the scent of her perfume made me forget my name for a second. I think my heart skipped a beat…or three. I stumbled backwards into her open apartment door, my hands moving to grip her hips.

Her hands were roaming across my chest and one was running through my hair. She toppled us onto her bed and in a mad scramble she somehow lost her shirt and she practically ripped mine off. That was when I decided that it had gone far enough and that we had to stop before I Hulked out and did something I would regret doing later.

This was the direction I wanted to go in, but at a more gentle pace.

I pulled my lips away from hers and said,

"Natasha, don't you think we should stop before we do something reckless?"

More like "before I do something reckless"

This seemed to make some sense to her and she pulled away from me, sinking down on the opposite side of the queen sized bed.

"Oh Bruce. I'm so sorry. That was way out of line, what I did."

I stood and sat cross legged in front of her, reaching out my hand to grasp hers.

"It's okay. I still love you for your bold nature."

She smirked and threw a pillow at me as I stood before laughing softly.

"If love is for children, then I guess I'm a child all right" Natasha said to herself.

She stood up and kissed me in a more chaste manner, before saying

"Goodnight Bruce, I love you."


	4. Aloha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers go on vacation and have a memorable time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing  
> There is a non descriptive rape situation in here and violence, so please don't read it if those are triggers for you.

 

**Natasha POV**

Ever since the night that Bruce had told me that he loved me, I slept without a single nightmare.

Every day, I was working hard (but not too hard) in physical therapy for my leg. The doctor told me that I was healing well and that, in a few days, I could take my brace off. My ribs and lung were either in the final stages of healing, or they were completely healed.

Bruce has been helping me out and just last week he took me to my favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, before we went to see 'The Hangover: Part 3'. I hadn't been on a date since that one time when Clint and I had to go undercover as newlyweds and we had to act like we were madly in love.

I walked into the living room and found the everyone else gathered for the announcement that Tony wouldn't shut up about for the past three days. Bruce slid over on the couch and I sat down next to him. Tony walked in and said,

"After a lot of decision-making and a few long talks with Director Fury, my plan to take the team members plus the ladies and the twins on a family vacation has finally been cleared! So pack your bags everyone, because in three days we'll all be on the plane headed for Honolulu, Hawaii!"

I don't know what happened next, but I think everyone went crazy, because the place erupted in cheers.

My mind jumped immediately to getting a much needed tan. Being Russian, I was always pale so a change in climate would be very enjoyable. Then my thoughts shifted to what I would wear. I didn't own a swimsuit, so I would have to get one of those. I would have to buy sandals and sundresses. I was actually really excited to go.

Bruce nudged me and said,

"So, what do you think about this Hawaii vacation? I think it's an awesome plan, maybe it'll get your mind off of the Ripper."

"I think I'm going to have to go shopping for swimsuits and sundresses with Pepper. Other than that, I'm all for it." I replied with a smile.

"Maybe I'm going to have to take Tony up on his offer to buy me some new clothes."

"Hey I wonder if Stark has a mansion by the beach?"

"Mansion? I bet he owns his own island out there."

I stood and said,

"I should go pull the luggage set that Pepper gave me for Christmas out of the back of my closet."

Bruce waited until everyone had run off to pack their bags to pull me into a hug. I don't think he did it on purpose, but he flexed his muscles around me and I couldn't help but wonder what he looked like in swim trunks. I blushed at the mental image of him running out of the ocean, pushing back his wet hair and gazing at me with his chocolate brown eyes.

I was going to love this trip.

**Bruce POV**

I was standing in front of the mirror in the dressing room at this designer store called 'Saturdays Surf NYC', trying on the most expensive pair of swim trunks ever.

Tony had rounded up all of us guys and taken us to a bunch of designer stores because, and I quote, "Legolas doesn't own normal clothes, Thor owns and wears his mother's drapes, Capsicle needs an upgrade, Bruce always needs of more clothes and I need the season's best. So all the guys are coming with me!". We took Phil and Fury with us because they were coming on the trip too, though they bought their own stuff.

The pair of trunks fit and looked good and I got the 'Tony approval', so I put them plus another pair of trunks, some board shorts and a pair of sandals on the tab.

After that, we went to a bunch of other designer stores with odd names for other clothes. I pulled out my iPhone and made a note so I wouldn't forget what Tony had bought and where we went. We went to 'Atelier New York' for everyone's semi formal wear, 'Billy Reid' for Clint and Coulson, 'The Brooklyn Circus' for clothes that were more tailored to Steve's classic style, 'Big And Tall' for Thor, and even this one place that was called 'Odin' (we had to explain to Thor that these clothes were _not_ made by his father, even if they were worthy of Asgard).

Natasha was giving me frequent updates about where she and the girls were now and what they were buying. They were in 'Diane von Furstenburg' buying everything they needed and then some extras at the prestigious 'Elizabeth Charles'. I let my mind wander and I got a mental image of Natasha in a bikini stuck there. The Hulk was roaring in obvious approval at the thought.

We were done by four PM and the next day we were packing and getting a good night's sleep before taking the larger of Tony's private jets to Malibu the next morning, where we would refuel and fly to Honolulu. It was going to be a long flight and I hope that I would be able to stay calm. I would hate to ruin the trip by Hulking out on Tony's jet.

**Two Days Later…**

I sipped my chamomile tea and reclined in my seat. The flight to Malibu had gone smoothly and I wanted to be stress free and well rested by the time we landed at Honolulu International Airport.

Natasha sank down into the seat next to mine and said,

"Aren't you excited?"

I looked over at her and grinned.

"I'm thrilled, but I'm very tired."

She took my hand and intertwined our fingers and said,

"Okay, I'll let you sleep, see you in a few hours", before leaning in and kissing me softly on the lips.

I drifted off and slept peacefully.

"Bruce? It's time to wake up.", Natasha said softly.

I opened my eyes and noticed that she looked different. Then I saw how she had pinned a tropical flower barrette in her hair and put on some light makeup. She wasn't wearing her Black Widow jumpsuit either, but a beautiful red floral printed sundress with the necklace I had given her for her birthday. She looked so beautiful.

"Wake up sleepyhead, we're landing in an hour so you may want to get changed."

I nodded and looked around. All the ladies except for Beth and Jane were wearing floral printed sundresses, even Maria Hill was out of uniform. Beth was wearing a pale green gingham printed dress with a white sunhat and she looked like a 40's girl with a modern twist. The look suited her extremely well and Steve couldn't tear his eyes away. Jane was wearing denim shorts and a tank top that said 'Santa Fe' on it. All the guys were wearing board shorts, sandals and Hawaiian shirts, even Nick Fury ditched his traditional black trench coat for a more casual outfit. I quickly changed into board shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt to match Natasha.

We all took our seats and buckled in as we began losing altitude and came in for a smooth landing. When we disembarked, we got leis and went to Tony's huge waterfront mansion in Kāhala (Natasha said "I told you he didn't own his own island!").

I got the room next to Natasha and we ended up sharing a bathroom, not that I minded of course. Tony and Pepper had the master bedroom, Thor and Jane had their own room with beds for the twins, Clint and Serena were sharing a bed and so were Maria and Phil. Steve and Beth were in the same room but they slept in separate beds (Tony always made jokes about Steve not getting any action). Darcy had her own room with a bathroom and so did Fury. We got unpacked and changed into our swimwear, then we hit the beach.

I was the second one out after Tony, I threw my towel onto a chair and waded into the surf. Steve followed me out and laid his towel down on the pier before sitting down, opening up his sketchbook, and beginning to draw.

It felt so good to swim again. I hadn't done this in nearly five years, the last time was prior to my accident.

"Hey Bruce!"

I looked towards the beach and my jaw dropped. Natasha had her leg brace off and was wearing a mint green string bikini. She looked better than I had imagined, even if she did have a bunch of scars. She had well-toned muscles, perfect curves and the sunlight on her pale skin made her glow. I was close to pinching myself, just to see if I was dreaming. She jogged towards the surf and waded in, swimming over to me.

"Hey Bruce." She smiled

"Uhhhh…h-hey" I managed to get out before I heard Steve gasp and look up from his book as the rest of the girls came out, all in bikinis. He yelled,

"My word! Put some clothes on! It's inappropriate to go out in only your underwear! ", before dropping his book, running off the pier, and diving into the deep water at the end.

Beth ran down the pier in hot pursuit, before jumping in and swimming after the super soldier.

Tony must have gotten wasted on the plane because he was at the Tiki bar, cutting up a pineapple and yelling, "SPONGEBOB, I'M DESTROYING YOUR HOUSE!"

I shook my head at Tony and looked around.

Pepper lowered herself into the patio plunge pool and sighed. Clint, Darcy and Serena pulled on wet suits over their swimwear and began waxing down their surfboards. Jane was sitting in the shade of a nearby palm tree with the twins in a stroller, calmly reading a book. Fury was pouring himself a scotch at the bar. Thor was building a sandcastle. I floated in the shallow water and Natasha floated by my side, holding my hand.

She stood up and looked out to sea. I saw Beth gaining on Steve, Darcy catching a wave while Clint and Serena watched her shoot the curl into a perfect front side bottom turn, and Phil commandeering a sleek jet ski with Maria in the passenger's seat.

Natasha murmured,

"It's so beautiful here."

"Anyplace is beautiful when you're there." I said, standing in the waist deep water and hugging her.

I leaned in to kiss her when Fury called out to her.

"Agent Romanoff! Can you come over here?"

Dammit Fury!

**Fury POV**

I downed my scotch as Stark made himself look like an ass, talking about sponges living in pineapples and shit.

Then my phone started ringing.

"Hello this is Director Fury and whoever you are, you'd have better give me a damn good reason as to why you are calling me on vacation." I growled.

"Director Fury, it's Agent Winslow, we've found the Ripper."

I looked up and saw Agent Romanoff getting friendly with Dr. Banner. They had found the Ripper and Romanoff had just gotten back on her feet. This was bad. Against my better judgment, I looked up and yelled out,

"Agent Romanoff!"

She glared at me and I seriously thought Banner was going to go Hulk on me for ruining their moment because he looked pretty pissed off. Romanoff came wading out of the surf and walked over to me, taking a seat at the bar as Tony downed a shot of Jose Cuervo and sang about a campfire or something.

"What's going on, Director?"

"We've found the Ripper."

Banner waded out of the water and sat next to Romanoff and asked her what was wrong.

"They found the Ripper, the guy who put me in the hospital." She shook her wet hair and pounded her fist on the bar before snarling,

"I'm going to kill that sick motherfucker if it's the last thing I do!"

I asked Agent Winslow what the Ripper's current location was.

"Sir, the Ripper's current location is in Honolulu, Hawaii."

I almost dropped my phone.

"Fury where is he? I'm going to hunt his ass down and put a bullet through his skull. Tell me where he is." Romanoff was growling in a dangerous tone now.

Banner looked like he was going to Hulk out, I saw his eyes flash green for a split second and change back to brown in the next. He placed a hand on Romanoff's shoulder and took a few deep breaths before saying in as calm of a voice as he could,

"Let's just enjoy the vacation and we'll find the Ripper tomorrow, then we can take the whole team and show him that he messed with the wrong bunch of people."

He glanced up at me and said in a dangerous, almost Hulk-like growl,

"He's going to pay for nearly killing Natasha, and although he got away once, you can be damn sure he won't escape again. All of us brought our suits and I know Tony has an armory here, he told me when I was working in the lab with him two days ago. He said it was fully stocked with all the same stuff we have at the tower with the exception of Steve's shield, which he brought."

Romanoff added,

"I won't sleep any better knowing that that sick bastard is killing for fun. You should see his trophy room, it's enough to make a person vomit."

I spoke back to Agent Winslow,

"Do you have an exact location on the Ripper?"

"Yes sir."

I got the location and hung up with Agent Winslow.

I made up my mind,

"Agent Romanoff, Doctor Banner. I've decided that the Avengers will exact revenge tomorrow at noon."

"Good" , Romanoff said before walking away.

**That Night…**

**Natasha POV**

I stepped out of the shower and got ready for bed, pulling on my silky nightgown. As I desperately tried to sleep, my head was filled with terrifying images from the Ripper's trophy room. I tossed and turned in my bed. I couldn't take this anymore. I got up and marched into the bathroom and up to Bruce's door. I knocked and a bleary eyed Bruce answered.

He may have been tired but he was still very handsome. He slept shirtless in his boxers which had little atoms and double helixes on them. I asked softly,

"Can I sleep with you tonight? I can't sleep alone."

His eyes widened, he blushed and swept his fingers through his hair before saying,

"Uh don't you think we should hold off on the whole 'getting it on' until later in our relationship?"

I gasped and said,

"God, I didn't mean 'sleep with you' as in have sex! I just want to share a bed with you and sleep, no sex. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea."

He exhaled in relief and said

"Then by all means, come in, make yourself at home."

I gazed at him lovingly and he leaned in, kissing me soft and slow on the lips, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his arms around my waist. We broke apart as I walked over to the left side of the bed and pulled the covers up to my chest as he got in the right side of the bed and faced me in the darkness.

"Natasha?"

"Hmm?"

"I just want to let you know that I'll stay by your side when we kill the Ripper tomorrow, I'll stand beside you forever if you'll let me, because I love you."

He kissed me on my nose and pulled me close.

I whispered in the dark,

"I love you too."

I woke up with the sun streaming in the window with Bruce's arms wrapped around me, holding me close.

I noticed the clock on the nightstand and then I saw the time.

"HOLY SHIT IT'S 11:30! WAKE UP BRUCE!"

Bruce bolted out of bed and pointed at me before we said "Suit up!" in unison.

I ran to my luggage and pulled out my jumpsuit, slipping out of my nightgown and pulling on my jumpsuit, zipping it up and clipping my fully charged Widow's Bite manacles onto my wrists. I brushed my teeth next to Bruce and we ran downstairs to the kitchen. I grabbed a protein shake out of the fridge and threw one to Bruce who caught it as we bolted into the living room where everyone was suited up and ready to go kick some ass.

We drove in a SHIELD issued vehicle to the place where the Ripper was hiding. I loaded my guns and checked to make sure my knives were sharp.

We pulled up to this dingy looking motel and went out behind it to what looked like an outhouse but was really the entrance to the Ripper's underground lair. I pulled my gun out and put on the silencer before shooting two guards in the head and running to the outhouse. Bruce wanted to follow me down, but we couldn't risk having him Hulk out and cause the tunnels to cave in. He grabbed my wrist,

"Natasha! I promised you that I would stand beside you, you can't just go running off to take him down on your own, I'm coming with you!"

"No Bruce! If you Hulk out down there, then we'll all die, its best for you to stay here!"

"Fine then, but before you go," He pulled me into a passionate kiss, the whole team saw it too. Tony landed and opened his helmet up to say "holy shit!" as we kissed,

" You had better come back safe. I love you."

"I love you too."

I ran down through the tunnels and spotted the Ripper, who ran from me and I ran after him in hot pursuit. He ran through a door and I followed him into complete darkness. I felt someone push my pressure point, namely the one that caused immediate and temporary paralysis.

I didn't think about anything other than Bruce's warning before I felt whoever paralyzed me tug the zipper down on my jumpsuit. During the assault, I kept thinking back to Bruce's promise to keep me safe, how devastated he would be when he found out about this happening. The paralysis wore off, but not before the dirty deed was done. It wore off, they made the mistake of turning the lights on at which time I proceeded to kill them with my Widow's Bite and smash their skulls into the wall.

**Clint POV**

I heard Natasha beating the living shit out of some guys before I saw the Ripper run away from the scuffle, zipping his pants up as he went. Natasha wanted to slaughter him, but that didn't mean I couldn't slow him down for her.

I knocked an arrow and shot, taking out one of his lumbar vertebrae and paralyzing him from the waist down. He fell with a howl of agony.

I called out to Natasha who came running, saw the Ripper, pulled out her six inch blade and slit his throat slowly as he begged for mercy.

She looked so disgusted at him and even yelled at him to die while he was drowning in a pool of his own blood.

I was concerned at this sudden wave of darkness that washed over her soul.

Tony ran down the hall and yelled at us to run because the place was going to blow up in a minute.

We hauled ass towards the exit and got out just in time to clear the blast radius. I hugged Serena as she whispered in my ear that she was glad to see I was okay.

**Bruce POV**

Natasha walked over to me, blood covering her hands, a terrified look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Nothing, I'm just glad that I finally killed him."

We celebrated later that evening and I got wasted, so did Natasha.

The next morning rolled around and I woke up with a massive hangover.

I opened my eyes and saw my clothes strewn around the room. Then I noticed them.

A pair of red silk panties.

I whispered "Oh God no" as I looked next to me and saw Natasha sleeping soundly and then I saw the remainder of her clothes thrown around the room.

I can't believe I just slept with Natasha Romanoff. And I don't even remember how it felt, but the Hulk told me that I liked it.

I'm so screwed when she wakes up.


	5. Unless You Say So

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha realizes what happened in Hawaii and makes a tough decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the longer chapters, but there are a few non descriptive mentions of rape.

 

Chapter 5: Unless You Say So

**Natasha POV**

"Ugh…"

I rolled out of bed and felt like I was going to vomit. My head hurt and I couldn't see straight. I picked up a shirt off the floor and buttoned it up. Thank God it was long enough to use as a cover up. I ran to the bathroom and when I found Bruce in there leaning up against the wall, trying to steady his breathing, I just pushed past him and vomited in the toilet.

I had a massive hangover from last night. All I remember was doing shots with everyone but Beth, Steve, Jane, Thor, Hill, and Coulson.

I don't know if I was the last one standing, but I think I was in the final round against Fury, and that's all that I recalled from last night.

Bruce got up and brushed his teeth, I sat with my back against the wall and asked,

"Bruce what happened last night?"

He looked at his reflection in the mirror ; he went wide eyed and his toothbrush stuck out of his mouth at an odd angle, which would've been comical if I wasn't so nauseated. He spat, rinsed and turned to me.

"Well I'll be 100% honest if you promise that you won't try to kill me."

"Bruce, I can barely speak without a wave of nausea taking me over, how will I kill you?"

"Touché my dear."

"Well? What happened?

"Uh…" he took a deep breath, "We kind of had sex."

My mind went blank.

"I must've heard you wrong. Did you say we had sex?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

Bruce looked down and offered me a hand up off the floor, but I was still shocked that we had done it. Then it hit me and I grabbed Bruce's hand and ignored the wave of nausea that washed over me as I brushed my teeth. I ran over to Bruce's room and picked up my clothes from his bedroom floor. I had to work fast before…

The door opened and Tony sauntered in, stopped and gawked at me.

It was then that I realized how strange this must look to him.

I was wearing Bruce's oversized dress shirt and picking up my clothes from his bedroom floor.

I just smiled nervously as Tony held up two cups with Alka-Seltzer in them to cure the headache that came with a hangover and said in a stunned voice,

"Uh, I was going to stop next door to give you your hangover cure but here, take them, this isn't my business, I don't care what, or who, you or Bruce do in your spare time as long as you-" he was cut off by Bruce yelling,

"Natasha, I hope you're on some sort of birth control, because I forgot to pack protection!"

"…Use protection.", Tony finished, giving me a defeated look.

"Bruce, I'm on the pill and I'm going to get the morning-after pill too. "

The pill should prevent an accident from happening. Tony sat the cups down and ran out of the room saying,

"I didn't see anything. I swear to you that your secret is safe with me!"

I got up and knocked back the Alka-Seltzer as Bruce came out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed with his head buried in his hands.

"Natasha, I am so sorry. That was a horrible mistake I made last night, I shouldn't have even been drinking. It's my fault if something bad happens as a result of all this."

My heart sank and I picked up his cup of Alka-Seltzer and brought it over to him. I sank down on the bed and hugged him. I said,

"In my opinion, it takes two to tango and if anything comes out of this, then it will be both of our faults." I paused before continuing,

"You remember yesterday when I came out of the tunnels and you asked me what was wrong and I said I was only glad to have killed him?"

Bruce looked at me confusedly,

"Yeah? What about it?"

"There _was_ something wrong with me, that's why I did all those shots and got wasted last night…I wanted to forget what had happened."

Bruce noticed my ashen expression and pulled me into a hug after downing his drink. I know it was out of my character to turn into a blubbering heap but the emotional pain of being raped by that sicko and then keeping something as big as that from Bruce just tore me to bits. I couldn't help it and I just started bawling my eyes out into his chest. I suppose I had better tell him what happened in the tunnels.

"B-Bruce, don't get mad at me for this, but yesterday I was… I was raped by the Ripper."

Bruce just pulled me closer and let me cry as he rocked me back and forth.

"Why would I ever get mad at you for something you had no control over?"

He held me for what seemed like hours before saying,

"In my professional opinion, I don't think that the morning-after pill would mix too smoothly with the alcohol, your painkillers for broken ribs, the Alka-Seltzer or your pill. You might get the wrong mix of drugs in your system and they may react badly with each other." He tipped my chin upwards and looked me in my eyes,

" And, for the record, I will never be mad at you, nor will the Hulk."

"Really?" I asked.

"The Hulk is the first one that told me I had feelings for you, he would never hurt you."

He wiped away my tears with his thumb

"You know I would never hurt you either."

I nodded and said,

"I honestly don't know what I would do without you."

Bruce kissed me on my forehead and said,

"I don't know about you, but I want to go wakeboarding and enjoy this Hawaiian paradise before we go back to New York City next week."

I dried my tears and stood up,

"I want to sleep off this hangover first." And left the room.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

**Two and a half weeks later…**

I was working in the laboratory with Tony when Clint walked in and asked me, raising his voice over the Led Zeppelin song that Tony had blasting,

"What's wrong with Natasha?"

I looked up in confusion at Clint's mildly angry face.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." I replied calmly and went back to looking at a sample of my own blood, trying to determine how I could better control the Hulk.

He slammed his fist down on the lab table, causing me to jump and the corked test tube with my blood fell and smashed onto the floor. I looked up at Clint, he was positively infuriated. I was struggling to regain some composure and keep from Hulking out on Clint.

"I don't know what's wrong with Natasha. It may come as a surprise to you, but I don't need to know every detail and every dirty little secret Natasha has. I won't force her to tell me something if she doesn't want to. Quite frankly, I don't know or want to know how you run things with Serena in _your PERSONAL_ relationship, but the way Natasha and I conduct ourselves in _our PERSONAL_ relationship is none of your business. I trust Natasha to come to me when she has something to say. We are two consenting adults and I can assure you that nothing is wrong!" I snarled at Clint and his eyebrows shot upwards in fear.

Well that escalated quickly.

Tony was giving me this look like, _"You better check yourself before you wreck everything in here."_ ,and I sighed in exasperation.

Clint looked at me in resignation and said,

"Sorry Bruce, it's just that Natasha is the closest thing to a sister-figure that I've ever had. I've been noticing how her eating habits have changed and how she isn't seen before eleven in the morning anymore. I only got genuinely worried this morning when she missed a target on the gun range and even more concerned when she was taken down in a sparring match in approximately ten minutes by Serena. I immediately assumed that you guys were having a lover's quarrel and came down to cuss you out."

"Well Clint," Tony added, "You know what happens when you assume stuff right?"

Clint sighed and rolled his eyes before saying in a monotonous voice,

"When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me."

"Bravo Katniss Everdeen...", Tony said, applauding the archer sarcastically before returning to his current project.

I was worried about Natasha now. She never lost in a sparring match or missed a target. I asked Clint,

"Where is she now?"

"Uh in her room I think."

I cleaned up my blood and broken glass off the floor before I ran out of the laboratory and to the elevator, taking it up to Natasha's floor, where I knocked on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Bruce, can I come in?"

"Yeah sure come in, I'm in the bathroom right now, Jane is in here too so maybe you guys can talk about some scientific stuff while I finish up in here."

I came in and found Jane sitting on the small sofa in Natasha's sitting room and started chatting about the twins. Natasha finally emerged in ten minutes and I looked up at her and she had the most confused look on her face. She said,

"Um, Jane, can I have a word with you, in private?"

When she noticed my confused look she just said,

"I need a female opinion, no offense."

"It's fine, take your time. Remember, I'm a doctor and I'm here if you need a professional opinion."

"Thanks Bruce."

"No problem."

I sat there as Jane walked over to the bathroom and the door closed behind the two. I could hear them speaking in hushed tones, yet I couldn't pick up on anything other than when Jane almost squealed "What?" in a shocked tone and Natasha hissed at her to keep her voice down.

When they emerged, Jane had a shocked expression and she fixed a fake smile onto her face, before scurrying out of the room.

Natasha turned to me and sighed as she sank down on the sofa. I got right to the point,

"Clint has been noticing changes in your behavior… we all have, and I just want to ask you what the matter is."

She sighed and asked me,

"Are you sure you want to know?"

I nodded.

"Okay then but what you're about to see is something that may come as a shock to you. Please don't Hulk out and destroy my apartment."

I nodded calmly as she took my hand and led me into the bathroom. I saw eight pregnancy test strips lined up on her toilet tank and all of them had a little plus sign on them.

"Bruce? I'm pregnant."

_"Holy shit"_ was the last thing I thought before I fainted.

* * *

**Tony POV**

I looked up and noticed that an twenty minutes had gone by and Bruce still hadn't returned to the lab. I wonder what he's doing up there in Natasha's room. A snarky grin spread across my features as I thought of Bruce getting a little action.

I sighed and thought of Pepper as I worked on the thrusters that would go into my new suit of armor. Every single move she made was utterly mesmerizing. There is nothing she couldn't do to make me go absolutely weak in the knees and begin drooling like some wild animal. The woman was the CEO of Stark Industries, a hard worker, a tender lover, and an absolute freak in bed. Whenever I would tell her how I felt about her, I meant every word. That's why, on our 3 year anniversary next week, I was going to pop the question. She completes me and there is no place I'd rather be for the rest of my life than by her side.

Speaking of couples, I think Beth and the Captain may 'Fondue'. The word on the street (Thor won't shut his trap) is that Clint was sitting in the air vents and witnessed Steve trying to rip Beth's shirt off the other day when they pushed their twin beds together and started making out. I'm glad for the Capsicle, I think he and Beth will make beautiful little blonde-haired and blue-eyed babies together. They just worked together.

Speaking of working…

"Dummy!"

The robot looked up at me and made a noise of recognition.

"Get over here! I want to install your new processor!"

The robot came over and let me lift it's hatch and replace the processor before wheeling itself into a corner to wait until he was needed.

I was still wondering where Bruce had gone so I said,

"Jarvis, can you tell me where Bruce is, I have to ask him a question."

"Dr. Banner appears to be passed out on Agent Romanoff's bathroom floor."

"Wait- WHAT? What happened?"

"It would appear that he has gone into shock, Sir."

"What happened Jarvis? Where is Agent Romanoff? What is she doing?"

"She appears to be trying to wake Dr. Banner up."

"Why was he in her room anyway?"

The AI responded in a clipped tone,

"I do not know Sir, you didn't program me with the ability to read minds."

I huffed in agitation, put down my wrench and took the elevator up to Natasha's floor.

I knocked on the door as Natasha answered it, peering out into the hallway, the door only open by no more than a foot at most. She looked up at me and I said,

"Hey Nat, is the Doc with you?"

She looked around, obvious guilt plastered on her face, and nodded slowly.

"Cool, I'd like to have a word with him."

I went to put my foot in the door but Natasha said,

"No, no, no! Now isn't the best time for this, He's…uh…busy right now!"

I raised an eyebrow and said,

"Oh really? Because I had Jarvis do a full sweep of every room in this tower to look for the good doctor, only to find out that he was passed out on your bathroom floor in shock."

"Fine, I lied, he is in on my bathroom floor, I'm only letting you in if you can wake him up without getting him upset."

"Okay I know a way to wake him up, I used this trick in college."

I ran back to the elevator and took it up to the living area. I ran past Thor and Jane feeding Ed and Liz (which is what I called the twins, being their uncle and all) and into the kitchen to grab the jar of minced garlic. Steve and Beth eyed me suspiciously as I ran back to the elevator, cackling madly.

I was let into Natasha's apartment reluctantly and the first thing I noticed was an entire book case dedicated to Natasha's collection of porcelain dolls. Their eyes seemed to follow me as I walked by.

_Well now that's just creepy._

I walked into her bathroom and saw Bruce sprawled on his back. I shook my head and unscrewed the lid to the jar and wafted the disgusting smell towards Bruce's nose. He woke with a startled yelp at my close proximity.

"Gah! Jesus Tony! What are you doing here?"

"I came here to find you."

"Where's Natasha?" he looked around.

"I'm right here Bruce."

"What happened? Natasha? Bruce?" I asked, still wanting an answer.

"Oh." Natasha said and glanced towards the toilet.

My eyes flicked to the toilet and I saw eight strips on the tank. I took another glance and noticed that they were all pregnancy test strips… and all of them had little plus signs on them.

"Natasha…you're pregnant?!" I practically yelled, my voice raising an octave.

Bruce stood up and sat down on the edge of the bathtub, removing his glasses and burying his head in his hands. I noticed his shoulders start to shake as Natasha sat down next to him.

"This is all my fault." He whispered through his silent tears.

Natasha looked up at me. I sat down on the toilet and watched as Natasha comforted my best friend.

"Tony, can you assemble all the people who were on the vacation in the living room? I want to tell them about this." Natasha asked softly.

I nodded as Bruce shook his head and said,

"Go ahead, tell everyone that I'm the idiot that got you preg- the way you are now." He lifted his head to look at me, "God, I truly am a monster aren't I?"

I stood up indignantly,

"No Bruce, you aren't a monster or an idiot. If this happened because of that drunken one night stand you and Nat had, then it was an accident. You didn't mean for this to happen."

Bruce shook his head and said,

"Natasha, I couldn't even protect you, I promised that you would be safe, and I broke that promise. I'm sorry for this."

"Um Bruce? Natasha? Do you still want everyone assembled?"

They both nodded.

"Jarvis, call everyone that was on the Hawaii trip into the living room."

"Yes sir, will that be all?"

"Yes."

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I stood up in front of everyone and suddenly became nervous. I had already told Jane the full story and Tony knew that I was pregnant. Bruce stood beside me, like he promised he would. This was a fight in and of itself; the fight against my secretive nature.

Bruce squeezed my hand as I took a deep breath.

"Um, thank you for gathering here. I have something that I want to get off my chest, right now. Jane already knows and Tony knows only half of what happened in Hawaii. I should start from the beginning of all of this. It all started when I was nearly killed by the Ripper. My need for revenge was imminent, so when Fury told me that the Ripper was hiding in Honolulu on the first day of the vacation, I knew that I wouldn't sleep until I had killed him."

I looked around at all my friends, they were there for me, they were my teammates and now I realized that they resembled the family I had never known but secretly wanted all these years. Bruce squeezed my hand and a confidence I never knew I possessed made itself known in my mind. I had found what had enchanted Bruce. I had found my courage to carry on.

"Just before I ran down into that tunnel, those of you who accompanied us on the mission know that Bruce kissed me. He promised at that time to stand beside me and protect me. When I went down into the tunnel, I found the Ripper and chased him into a dark room. This was a rookie mistake on my behalf, but revenge can drive people to do things that are out of their nature. When I went into the room, someone pushed down on the pressure point that causes almost instant yet complete and temporary paralysis. Then, the Ripper…"

My words caught in my throat and Bruce whispered in my ear,

"Do you want to continue? You can stop if you have to, nobody is going to force you to tell them."

His words gave me strength.

"The Ripper raped me."

A lot of jaws dropped, eyebrows shot up and a number of people gasped. Pepper and Beth grabbed their respective boyfriend's hand, placed a hand over their mouth and started to get misty eyed. Clint spoke,

"Oh my God, Natasha… Are you okay?"

I ignored everyone and continued,

"When I regained the use of my body, they, the other men in the room made the mistake of turning a light on. I made sure that everyone in that room died in under five minutes. The Ripper had fled from the room after finishing inside me. Clint shot him in the spine and stopped him from fleeing. Clint called me and I came running. I killed the Ripper. Slowly and painfully with no mercy. When the place had blown up, Bruce had noticed the expression on my face and he asked me what was wrong. I told him I was fine. All I wanted to do was forget that I had been used. I entered a competition that evening with a good number of you, a drinking competition to see who could do the most shots. I have no clue who won, but after that, I had an unprotected one night stand with Bruce. I was going to take the morning-after pill, but Bruce thought it would be best to not mix the morning-after pill together with my other drugs."

Everyone was looking at me with worried expressions except for Jane, who mouthed the words, "Go on." to me.

I looked up and inhaled deeply before saying,

"And now I'm pretty sure that I'm pregnant."

There was a stunned silence before, believe it or not, Jarvis spoke.

"Agent Romanoff? I know it may not be my place to ask, but would you like for me to schedule an appointment for you with Miss Potts' OB/GYN to confirm your suspicions?"

"Sure, it would be nice to get a definite answer for once."

Fury got up and walked over to me slowly,

"And if you are pregnant, you know what this means?"

"No sir, I don't."

"It means that you need to find out who the father is and whether or not you're keeping it."

"Oh…"

**Two hours later…**

I was sitting in an exam gown and waiting for the doctor to come in. Pepper knocked on the door (I memorized the way people knock) and came in with a kind looking man, obviously the doctor.

"Natasha, this is Dr. Lyle Hiddleston.", Pepper introduced me to her OB/GYN as he shook my hand warmly.

"How are you Agent Romanoff?" He asked. He had been sworn to secrecy and a thorough background check had already been done. He knew who we were and what would happen if he told anyone anything.

"I'm fine" I answered.

Pepper left and the Doctor went about his business, all while asking me questions to ease the pressure like what kind of car I drove and what my favorite color was.

At the end, he left me to get dressed and then returned with Bruce who had decided to sit in the waiting room. He came over and held my hand as Dr. Hiddleston said,

"Well, Agent Romanoff, you are definitely pregnant and one month along but it will be at least another month until we can tell you who the father is. I'll be staying in touch with you and scheduling regular appointments."

We left the office, got into the SHIELD vehicle and drove back to the tower to deliver the news. All through the duration of the ride home, Bruce was holding my hand. I looked over at him and said,

"What now Bruce? I don't what I should do." I glanced down at my feet, "Bruce, I'm scared."

He leaned over,

"Don't be scared, I'll be with you through all of this. I promised you that I would stay by your side, I won't leave unless you say so."

 


	6. An American Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's the Daddy?   
> The Ripper or Bruce?  
> Will Natasha keep the baby after she knows the truth?  
> What has been masked shall be revealed!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing

**Bruce POV**

Tony pulled me aside in the hall and said,

“You gotta help me man!!” 

“With what?”

He looked around and lowered his voice,

“I’m going to propose to Pepper soon, I have the ring and everything. I just want it to be… You know…big.” 

“Big?”

“Yeah like a big event. Pepper told me ages ago when I asked her how she dreamed her engagement party and wedding would be like when she was little, and she said that she would always dream of a masquerade ball for her engagement party, like the masquerade ball scene from ‘The Phantom of The Opera’, which was the first live show she saw.”

“And you want to throw a masquerade ball to propose to her?” I asked.

“Yeah!”

“Then what do you need my help with?”

“I need your help with these.” 

Tony pulled a stack of invitations from a backpack he was carrying and shoved them towards me.

“Can you deliver these?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks, I owe you one .”

I looked up at him,

“Wait, you already told me about the whole proposal thing, you were going to do it on your three year anniversary. That was two weeks ago, why didn’t you do it then?”

“I got nervous and she wasn’t in a good mood… CEO stuff had her stressed out and all she wanted to do was sleep.”

“When’s the party?” I asked.

“Three weeks from today.”

I did the math and my eyebrows shot up, 

“That’s Independence Day! We’re  throwing a masquerade ball on the 4th of July? Here? You and I both know that July 4th is Steve's birthday... is he alright with this?”

“That’s the plan and yes, Steve said it's fine.” He said before leaving me in the hall. 

My phone started buzzing and I picked it up. It was Dr. Hiddleston.

“Hello?”

“Ah yes, hello, Dr. Banner? I was wondering if I may have a word with you.”

“Um, certainly. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you could bring Natasha in for her checkup, It’s been almost four weeks and I’ve been out of the country… family things. I can start running prenatal paternity tests whenever you bring her in.”

“Why didn’t you call Natasha?”

“I tried, but the number was out of service.”

“Okay thank you Dr. Hiddleston, I’ll bring her in whenever I can. Goodbye.”

I hung up, sent the invitations to the post office with Happy, and went to find Natasha.

I searched everywhere until I got to the Garage level and walked over to slot 25.

She didn’t hear me coming as she was washing her car, singing a song as she went about cleaning the hubcaps. I walked up behind her and cleared my throat. She stopped singing abruptly and sprang to her feet before yelping out, 

“Bruce! How long were you standing there??”

“I just got here. Dr. Hiddleston called me up and said that you need to come in for another checkup and so that he can start running paternity tests on the baby.”

“Oh! Let me just finish up here, change my clothes and grab some lunch and we’ll be on our way!”

Then she got a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and squirt me with the hose.

“Oh no!” I grinned and took the bucket full of  water and hoisted it up, preparing to dump it on her, “This is war now!” 

I dumped the bucket on her as she sprayed me again before I ducked behind the car and gripped the handle of the other bucket of water, watching her feet move on the other side.

I blinked and her feet were gone.

"Natasha?"

"Behind you...", she whispered softly in my ear before I whipped around and dumped the bucket on her before she could spray me with the hose.

 Then I noticed it.

Natasha’s tiny baby bump. 

I stopped and asked her in an soft voice,

“Natasha. How long have you had that?”

She glanced down.

“Oh _that_. Well I never really noticed it until now.”, she patted the little bulge gently, “It’s odd to think of myself and wonder if, let’s say I decide to keep the kid, I would ever be a good mother.”

“Natasha, I think you would make an amazing mother.”

Natasha ran straight into my arms and curled right into my chest. 

“Thank you.”

“Natasha? I’m just curious about this, you don’t have to give me an answer if this makes you feel uncomfortable or anything but _are_ you going to carry the baby full term?”

She pulled away from me and faced the opposite direction, putting a hand on the hood of her car.

“I don’t know yet. I’d like to know who the father is before I make any decisions.”

This got me wondering. 

If the baby belonged to the Ripper, would she abort it and if the baby was mine, would she keep it? 

I had always wanted to start a family and settle down, but not out of obligation.

I’m not a selfish man, but it is true that I don’t always get what I want and a family seemed like a lot to ask for; given my… _condition_.

Would she choose whether an innocent child would have the chance to live  or whether it would die because of  its father? 

I had to know.

“Natasha, would you keep it if you found out that I was the father?” I inquired.

She turned to me, a pained look in her eyes and worry creasing her beautiful face.

“Bruce…I can’t answer that. Not right now. I have a lot weighing on my mind. I don’t want to get an abortion because another agent I know got one and something went terribly wrong because now she’s infertile. I know the statistics. Abortion, to me, is the equivalent of killing without reason.”

 She paused and wrung the water out of her hair before looking at me with remorse, 

“I’ve killed children before, Bruce. I’ve shot them down because it was my job; because of a payoff and because they were the children of the wrong sort of people. I took their lives, and that is my biggest regret. They’re the reason why my ledger is gushing red. It may be impossible for me to wipe out all that red, but I owe their souls this much. ” She patted the small bump, 

“I’ll carry the child full term and give this kid a shot at life. Whether or not I’ll raise it as _my_ child is another thing.”

I nodded and pushed a stray lock of my dripping hair off my forehead. 

I held out my hand to her and said,

“Come on, let’s get changed and then we’ll see the doctor.” 

She nodded and took my hand as we walked to the elevator.

“By the way,” I added “You have a lovely singing voice.”

She gasped and swatted my shoulder lightly as I smirked.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I sat in the waiting room, flipping through an old copy of  ‘National Geographic’ while my fingers drummed a steady staccato rhythm on the arm of my chair. Bruce was sitting next to me, reading an article in an old Cosmopolitan magazine. It must have been an odd sight to see because I could feel the stares of other patients practically burning a hole through my skull.

I wasn’t very fond of coming to the doctor’s office for the sole reason that I hated how they would always poke and prod you without question, just doing their job. There was something that made me feel better about coming to Dr. Hiddleston though, he actually cared about making his patients feel well cared for. He took the time to break the ice and his hands weren’t always so unnaturally cold. He never asked uncomfortable questions about how my missions went, which of my scars came from what mission, or what I had to do to weasel information out of a target. He asked me normal things like what my favorite foods were and things like that.

SHIELD doctors never asked normal questions, they always had cold fingers, they never smiled and, to top it all off, they were the heart and soul of  SHIELD’s rumor mill. 

Thank God I have  good friends like Pepper Potts and Tony Stark to make this ordeal bearable. 

“Miss Romanoff?”, Jennifer, Dr. Hiddleston’s assistant, called out.

“Yes?” I replied.

“Dr. Hiddleston would like for you and Dr. Banner to come back now.”

  Bruce and I rose from our seats, putting the magazines aside and followed Jennifer into Dr. Hiddleston’s office. Dr. Hiddleston rose from behind his desk and greeted us with a smile and he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, inviting us to sit. Jennifer left, closing the door behind her.

“Ah, it’s good to see you Agent Romanoff. How have you been feeling lately?” he smiled warmly.

“Emotional. I suppose that’s all normal though?”

“It’s very normal, just your body’s way of handling your hormones. Have you been feeling nauseated? Any morning sickness?”

“Yes, it’s beginning to wear off though. I’ve been keeping active and eating healthy. My boss has told me that I won’t be sent out on any missions until one year after the baby has been born. I’ve decided to carry it full term.”  I explained as the doctor nodded.

“Yes, yes. Proper exercise and diet is good. Now, about the paternity test. Chorionic Villus Sampling, or CVS for short, is an invasive procedure on your part Agent Romanoff. I would recommend the transcervical method over the transabdominal method for simplicity’s sake. The procedure is simple, all I need to do is take a sample of the placental tissue using a catheter. In order for us to determine who the father is and have the test be as accurate as possible, we will need a sample of DNA from the possible fathers.”

“Well there are only two possible fathers, the problem is that I killed the one that raped me. Could you still run the test with only one sample from one possible father?” I asked. 

Dr. Hiddleston nodded, 

“Yes, in your case where only two men were involved, we can find the father. Just as long as we have the DNA of one possible father, we can rule out the other. Do you know who and where the other possible father is?” he asked me.

“Actually,” Bruce spoke now, an slightly embarrassed look on his face, “I’m the other possible father.”  

Dr. Hiddleston asked,

“Dr. Banner, would you allow us to take a sample of your blood and saliva?”

“Of course. It’s no problem.”

“Good.” He stood up and pulled on his lab coat, 

“Would you please follow me, I’d like to take those samples now and get this test underway.”  

I was shown into an exam room and I changed into a hospital gown while Dr. Hiddleston took a sample of Bruce’s blood and saliva in another room. 

Someone knocked on the door and I told them to come in.

Dr. Hiddleston entered with Jennifer and Bruce. 

“Now, Natasha, you will feel some discomfort, but there shouldn’t be any pain. If you feel pain, let us know and we will stop. Okay?”

He glanced over at Bruce and said,

“You can stay in here, just sit with your back towards us and face Natasha, carry on a conversation if you must. It’s best to have the patient distracted so she doesn’t get anxious.”

Bruce nodded and obeyed, holding my hand the entire time. 

We talked about Steve learning how to play Dance Central last night and how he had beaten half of us at it, we talked about Pepper's engagement party and what we would wear (since we are officially dating), but we didn't mention the baby or the procedure. 

The procedure was over before I knew it and Dr. Hiddleston had left with Jennifer and Bruce so I could change. 

Bruce and I left for the tower, the results would take a while to get back because there wasn’t any DNA from the other possible father. 

On the way home, we stopped at an Italian restaurant and had lunch. There, we talked about our interests. I learned that Bruce liked sushi and taking walks in the park, so after lunch, we walked through Central Park West and enjoyed the lovely weather. 

 We left for home as the sun was just beginning to set, parked in my slot, and went up to the living area for dinner. It was Phil and Maria’s night to cook dinner and they made the best shrimp stir fry I had ever eaten. 

We all sat down and had a nice dinner. Tony told us about the masquerade ball and Pepper (oblivious to the fact that she would be proposed to on said occasion) practically squealed in delight at the thought of such a classy event without the press being present. We had to explain to Thor what a masquerade ball was, but he seemed to find the idea of dressing up in fancy clothes and wearing masks during a party to be ‘worthy of Asgard’, as Jane was thinking of cute little outfits to dress the twins in. 

After dinner, we all sat down to watch a movie. It was Darcy’s week to choose the movie and we ended up watching ‘Lord of the Rings’. When Legolas the Elf was introduced, Tony said,

“Hey Clint, I found you!!” 

Clint just glared at Tony as everyone else laughed.

When the movie was over, Bruce walked me to my room and we sat out on the balcony, enjoying each other’s company.

Bruce looked over at me and said,

“What’s on your mind?”

“I was just thinking about the baby.”

“Oh? Do you want to share your thoughts or shall I just guess?”

“No I’ll share.”

Bruce removed his glasses and swept his dark curls back, looking at me as I began to speak.

“Well, three and a half months ago, I would have never expected to be pregnant, but here I am.”

Bruce looked out at New York City and sighed,

“I never would have imagined I would actually have a place to call home until last year when Tony invited me to live in the tower.”

“Last year, I wouldn’t have given this child a chance. It took what Loki said about me having a ledger that’s gushing red to put an ounce of humanity in me. I guess I owe him that much, even if he did try to enslave humanity.” 

“I never would have thought that I would find someone to love.” Bruce said, looking at me over the rims of his glasses.

I leaned over and curled up against his chest.

“Neither did I.”

* * *

**On the morning of the Fourth of July…**

**Bruce POV**

We were in rush mode to do everything. The professional bartenders, waiters, waitresses, valets, and bouncers that Tony hired would be here any minute. We had eight hours until the first guests arrived at 6:00 PM, the velvet ropes had been set up and the red carpet had been rolled out for them. We all went out on the party deck  carrying in 50 American flags total and hung them on 50 flagpoles that were spaced out on the railing of the party deck, overlooking the city. 

We were finally done decorating for the ball when the staff showed up at noon; Jarvis kept an eye on things as we all went to our rooms to get ready for tonight. I showered, shaved and spent a ridiculous amount of time using a straightener and hair product to tame my messy curls. The end result was the best my hair had looked since Thor and Jane’s wedding. I put on my fancy tuxedo, it was black with red details. 

Tony had put down on the invitation to specifically  dress in a tuxedo if you were a man and a ball gown if you were a woman, the party was strictly formal. 

I grabbed my black eye mask and pulled it on, careful not to let the wire on it mess up my hair. I grabbed my phone and put it in my vest pocket before heading out at 5:30 to ‘pick up’ Natasha at her door.

When the elevator door slid open, It was crowded with Thor, Jane, Phil, Maria, and Darcy. They all looked very nice in their outfits but I decided to take the stairs down to get Natasha instead of waiting for the next one. 

I was halfway down Natasha’s hallway when my phone started buzzing and I didn’t feel like answering it so I let it go to my inbox. I knocked on Natasha’s door and heard the rustling of  fabric as the door opened. 

My jaw has hit the floor a lot of times in my life, but that didn’t stop it from dropping when Natasha came out in her ball gown. It was red with black details, quarter length sleeves and her mask matched mine. She wore the necklace I gave her for her birthday with the ruby and onyx earrings to match.  Her red hair was how it normally looked, beautiful. 

“Wow Bruce, you really outdid yourself.” She looked me over as I held out my arm

“Natasha you look absolutely stunning.” I said kissing her on the cheek.

She took my arm with one hand and pulled her door shut with the other. We walked down the hall to the elevator and rode up to the living room which had been dubbed as the ‘Ballroom’ for the occasion. 

When we got there, the place was packed with all the doors to the party deck opened and people were walking around in expensive clothes greeting their friends. We walked over to our fellow Avengers and began to talk when Jarvis came over the speakers and said,

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Tony Stark would like to have your attention, he has an important announcement.” 

The people hushed and cleared the dance floor as Tony, dressed in a black tuxedo with a red and gold eye mask, grabbed a microphone and said,

“Thank you, Jarvis. I would like for my lovely girlfriend Pepper to join me on the floor.” 

Pepper walked across the empty floor in a pale gold ball gown and feathered mask that matched Tony’s as he closed the gap between them.

“Pepper has been there for me for almost thirteen years. First as my secretary and Personal Assistant, then as my girlfriend and the CEO of Stark Industries.”

He paused as he held out a hand to Pepper who took it and blushed as he continued,

“She has been my reason to live, the love of my life, my better half and above all, the one person that could put up with my antics for all these years without strangling me, although she did come close to it on more than one occasion.”

He looked at Pepper before pulling a ring out of his pocket, getting down on one knee and asking,

“Virginia Pepper Potts, will you marry me?”

Pepper put a hand over her mouth before nodding .

“Yes.”    

Tony slipped the ring onto her finger and stood up to embrace her as the room erupted in cheers.

Natasha said,

“Aw, how romantic.” As Clint who was standing on her other side said,

“I think this baby is turning you into a big softie.”

Natasha glared at him,

“Watch it Clint, I may be pregnant, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t kick your ass.”

I laughed and said, 

“You two are like a sister and a brother when you argue!” 

Tony and Pepper came over and all the ladies crowded around to see her ring, and it was nice. Simple yet elegant, very like Pepper.  

I got Natasha a glass of sparkling grape juice and I got myself a glass of champagne. 

We walked out on the party deck and enjoyed the night air. Then I remembered that I had a missed call.

I pulled out my phone and saw that Dr. Hiddleston had called and left a message telling me to come into his office with Natasha so he could tell us the results in person, unless we would rather hear him tell us over the phone or via Skype call. I told Natasha this and she said she would like to have him tell them over the phone. I asked her,

“What will you do if the kid is the Ripper’s?”

“Probably put it up for adoption. I don’t want to be a bad mom because I hated and killed it’s father. The kid will deserve a happy home with a mom and a dad who are grateful to have them there. I don’t want to have to tell the kid that their father was a psychotic mass-murderer who raped me and then tell them that their uncle Clint shot him in the back and that I slit his throat. They deserve a shot at a normal life.”               

 I thought about this and asked,

“And if it’s my baby?” in a low voice.

Natasha looked out over the city and said,

“If it’s yours, then you and I will have to sit down and talk things over.” She put a hand on mine and said,

“I would want to be the amazing mother you said I would be.”

My stomach did a back flip as I realized that she just said that she wanted to have my child. 

_But what if it was like me? What if the Hulk part of me carried over into the baby if it was mine? She wouldn’t a child that would destroy buildings with one temper tantrum. She wouldn’t love me for destroying her life._

Natasha sensed my anxiety and said,

“Bruce, I know that you’ll be a great father. I will love you and your baby no matter what.”

The Hulk roared from its cage in the back of my mind, reminding me that he was still there.

_Still a part of me…I’m still a monster._

“Would you love me if the baby had my…condition?” I asked.

She removed her mask and placed her petite hand on my cheek,

“Bruce, do you think I would be telling you that I loved you if I didn’t mean it? I don’t care if the baby is like you, if you’re even the father. All that I know right now is that I wouldn’t want to raise a baby with any other man than you.”

I pulled her close and kissed her. I wanted to be that baby’s father so badly. When we broke apart, she must’ve felt my emotion. She said,

“Come on, let’s go in the elevator and call Dr. Hiddleston, we can sit on the roof when we get the news.”

I nodded and we went to the elevator, pressing in the access code for the roof, praying there wasn’t anyone up there. 

Thank goodness that there wasn’t. 

I dialed Dr. Hiddleston’s number, put the call on speakerphone and a little girl about the age of seven answered,

“Hello? Hiddleston residence, Nora speaking.”  

I couldn’t help but smile as Natasha answered,

“Hello, this is Agent Natasha Romanoff and Dr. Bruce Banner. Is Dr. Lyle Hiddleston there?”

“Oh, hold on a second.”, the girl replied before I heard the little girl yell ‘Daddy! Agent Romanoff and Dr. Banner are on the phone!!!’ and Dr. Hiddleston reply, ‘Thank you, mommy wants to tell you a bedtime story, I’ll be up in just a minute.’

“Hello, Natasha?”

“Hello, Bruce is with me right now, he told me that the results had come in for the CVS test.”

“And you want to know who the father is now?” He asked.

“Yes.” Natasha replied as I held her close and we sat down on the roof, her dress pooling around her.

Here it was, the moment of truth. My entire future depended on this and I was scared, the Hulk was restless and wanted to be free.

“Well Natasha, the father is _Dr. Bruce Banner_. Congratulations Dr. Banner.” He said.

I couldn’t help it, I was overcome with emotion and I just took off my mask and laid down on the roof, looking up at the stars. 

Tears of joy began to flow and the stars blurred. 

Natasha ended the call and laid down beside me.

“All my life, I’ve always wanted to have a happy family where I was loved. Do you think we can give the baby… _Our baby,_ the happy family I was pulled away from?” she asked softly.

I nodded before replying,

“You remember in Calcutta, when I said I didn’t always get what I wanted?”

She stood and offered me a hand up,

“Yes, I remember the conversation well.” 

I stood up and placed a hand on her baby bump, where our little child was thriving. 

“I never thought I would be this lucky.” 

 I said, gently pulling her into a kiss as the fireworks exploded in the background.


	7. My Perfection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha gets used to being pregnant and all seems well at last... Except for the fact that Bruce doesn't every time get what he wants...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is mild sexual content in this chapter but I placed a warning near them so you can skip it if you don't care for adult scenarios.

Chapter 7: My Perfection

Natasha had taken to sleeping in the same bed as Bruce every other night, or whenever she had felt the need to do so for the past three weeks, starting with the Fourth of July.

She loved the feeling of his warm body at night, but sometimes it just got too unbearably hot, and she would sleep in her own bed.

Bruce knew and didn't mind that much.

He liked it when she was there and missed her when she wasn't.

He also knew how moody even the most level-headed women became when they got pregnant.

Take Jane for example; before she was pregnant with Ed and Liz, she was the sweetest, calmest person you had ever met.

Add a pregnancy and a trip to Asgard.

She and Thor came across Loki, who decided to play a 'harmless joke' on her.

Let's just say that Loki cried after he got his ass handed to him by a 'puny mortal'.

At breakfast that morning, Natasha decided to tell people that Bruce was the father.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

Bruce passed me my towel as I thrust a hand out of the shower to get dried off, stepped out; towel wrapped around my chest with a second one wrapped around my hair.

Bruce was shaving and glanced over at me as I emerged.

My baby bump was getting bigger every day and I couldn't fit into my normal clothes anymore as the first trimester of my pregnancy was drawing to a close. Bruce looked at my baby bump where our child was growing and I couldn't help but wonder what he thought as he placed a hand on it.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think the baby will be?"

"Well if it's a girl, she'll be every bit as beautiful as her mother. If it's a boy, I imagine he'll still look like you in some ways and like me in other ways. Either way, they'll have a fighter's instincts, my brains and our combined love."

"Aw Bruce, that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

He smiled and left as I pulled on maternity wear and dried my hair.

We left his room, hand in hand to go to breakfast.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind it at all if I told everyone that you're the father?"

He shook his head,

"No I wouldn't mind. They're our family, they deserve to know."

Bruce pulled me close and said,

"I've never been happier in my entire life."

He kissed me gently and the elevator doors opened.

"Well", I said, "Guess it's time to face the music."

We all sat down together and ate what Thor liked to call a breakfast for gods.

I caught Serena staring at me while I was wolfing down my pancakes and eating almost as much as Thor, who had a bottomless pit for a stomach.

I swallowed my food and sipped my tea before asking her,

"Whatcha looking at?"

Serena replied,

"I just watched my best friend out-eat a demigod and then ask me what I was looking at... I'm looking at you you silly goose!"

"Well I've got to make sure this little baby is well fed."

Then I remembered,

"Oh, uh guys!" I stood up to get more tea and sat down, all eyes on me as I clutched Bruce's hand under the table.

"I got the results of the paternity test back."

"And? Who's the father?", Steve asked.

"Bruce is the father."

The table fell silent and Tony was the first to speak,

"Are you keeping it?"

Bruce said,

"I think Natasha will make an amazing mother and she thinks that I'll be a perfect father. Yes we're keeping it."

Beth started to clap and soon everyone was congratulating us.

Bruce leaned over to me and whispered,

"See, that wasn't so bad."

I glanced over at him,

"I never said it would be, Dr. Banner."

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I went for a walk in Central Park with Natasha that day.

We heard children playing with their parents in the fields and I couldn't help but smile as i realized that one day I would actually be a father and have kids of my own.

Growing up, I didn't have many friends because I was too smart for my own good.

My father was an alcoholic that would abuse my mother, my big sister, and I when he would come home from the bar.

Every time I went to the park I would think of her and my mother who had died shortly after my father was carted off to prison when I turned seventeen.

_"Poor Grace,"_

I thought to myself about my big sister who had hung herself when I was twelve,

_"She never got a chance to live. She was so smart and I couldn't even save her from jumping out of that tree."_

I raised my eyes to the clear blue sky and made a promise to my mom and sister, wherever they were, that I would be the best father I could be.

Natasha and I came across the statue of Balto in the park and strayed off the path to sit on the rock.

This area of the park was somewhat quieter and it was a stark contrast to the rest of the city.

Natasha scooted closer to me and I placed my head on her shoulder. She said,

"Bruce, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this."

"Do what?"

"Get used to a little being growing inside of me. It's an indescribable feeling, but it worries me at the same time. I hear things from Jane about how painful it was, giving birth to the twins and how after Liz was born, Ed was easy. I'm scared of the pain and I'm afraid of what you'll think of me when I'm all fat and wanting to kick your ass while I'm in labor."

"You're not going to be fat, you're going to glow. I'm going to love you while you're screaming insults and threats at me from the bed in the delivery room." I paused to let this sink in before continuing,

"I'm going to be there with you the whole time because this just isn't your baby alone. A wise and beautiful master assassin once told me, 'It takes two to tango and if anything comes out of this, it'll be both of our faults'. I want to step up and be a good father to this kid because when I was a kid, I didn't have that."

Natasha looked at me and said,

"I'm sorry about that."

I smiled and said,

"It's not your fault, you didn't know."

"But I did know. It's in your file for SHIELD and when I was assigned to go and get you in Calcutta, I had to read your file."

"Okay well that was expected."

I stood and offered her hand up off of the rock.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

We embraced and Bruce knelt down and kissed my baby bump. He seemed to whisper something like,

"I love you…Daddy loves you. You are and always will be my perfection.", before standing and kissing me.

We held hands and walked the twenty blocks back to Stark Tower.

When we got home, we ate dinner (Tony and Pepper made spaghetti). Bruce and I beat everyone in Monopoly and then we retired to Bruce's room.

**(A/N: Here is where the adult content is, just in case you don't want to read it.)**

When he closed the door behind him, I was overcome with a wave of hormones and pushed him up against the door, French kissing him with a need for intimacy. My fingers were running through his unruly hair, messing it up further as his hands were roving around on my body.

He walked me backwards and sat me down gently on the bed, coming down beside me. I got on top of him as we helped each other shed our clothes. He went to work with his lips on the sensitive part of my neck, his fingers working elsewhere and making me go insane. He rolled me over and got down to business.

He was so well-endowed and had the precision of a master.

Soon I was coming undone in his arms, screaming his name into the darkness. It didn't take long before he joined me, and moaned my name in a husky voice.

**(A/N: End of adult scene)**

We laid on our backs, catching our breath before he pulled me close to his chest, whispering,

"You are and always will be the love of my life. I love you."

and we were soon fast asleep.

_"Mommy! Daddy! Watch this!", a little boy, about four years old, was swinging on a swing set._

_He had reddish brown curly hair, vivid green eyes and Bruce's nose and smile._

_This was our son, and he had just learned how to swing all by himself._

_Bruce was holding my hand and he called out to our son,_

_"Hey Buddy, don't swing too high, we don't want you to go flying around like Uncle Tony!"_

_The little boy called out,_

_"Aw but Daddy, I want to fly like Uncle Tony someday!"_

_I glanced down and saw a wedding band gracing the fourth finger of my left hand, and a similar band was on Bruce's ring finger. I glanced up just as our son did a backflip off the swing, hitting his head on the patio and causing Bruce to fly out of his seat to help our son, but when my son called for mommy, I couldn't move._

All of a sudden, I felt immense pain and woke up, screaming in agony.

Bruce woke up as I cried out. He turned on the bedside lamps.

Something was terribly wrong because the normally sunny yellow sheets were turning red from my waist down.

I felt my body start to go into shock as Bruce told Jarvis to call 911 and let everyone know where I was going.

He pulled on clothes in a hurry, throwing me my bra and shirt and instructing me to wrap the sheet around my waist and he grabbed my panties, shorts and flip flops from the floor.

"Bruce?! What's happening to me?"

"I…something is wrong, this…. This shouldn't be happening, not here, not ever."

He picked up his phone and called Dr. Hiddleston's emergency number the paramedics came running into the room and quickly transferred me to a gurney as my hold on consciousness slipped out of my reach.

The last thing I saw before my world went black was Bruce, panic crossing his face, fear in his eyes, and yelling frantically,

"NATASHA!"

* * *

**Bruce POV**

She was slipping out of consciousness, I thought she was going to die.

One of the paramedics said,

"Sir, we're going to have to hurry before she loses too much blood, we're going to take her to the nearest hospital. Since this is an emergency and we're low on space in the ambulance, we will have to ask you to hail a cab and come to the emergency room at Bellevue. Does she have ID?"

I grabbed Natasha's purse and pulled her car keys out of the side pocket.

I gave the paramedics her purse and said,

"That should have everything you need in it."

They ran out and down the hall to the elevator, taking my blood stained Natasha with them.

I ran down the stairs before I reached the garages.

I ran to slot 25 and climbed into her Camaro, the black leather cool to the touch.

I had Jarvis open the garage door and soon I was gunning the engine and speeding off into the night.

I arrived at the hospital with the others showing up later.

I saw Dr. Hiddleston run by in scrubs and he called out to me,

"Dr. Banner! Come with me!"

I ran after him, back into the room where Natasha was. The nurses moved quickly and cleaned her up in a matter of moments, taking away a small red mass in a tray.

I stood there as Natasha was given an oxygen mask, as I was told to be patient.

Natasha stirred as Dr. Hiddleston washed his hands after discarding the pair of bloody gloves he had.

Natasha woke up and Dr. Hiddleston removed the oxygen mask.

She looked around and saw me.

"Bruce! What happened? Why am I in the hospital?"

Dr. Hiddleston cleared his throat and said in a solemn voice,

"This is why I hate my job sometimes, as your OB/GYN I have to be the bearer of bad news."

I looked up at him and then over at Natasha as she squeezed my hand and asked,

"What's the bad news?" In a small voice.

Dr. Hiddleston said,

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've had a miscarriage."

Natasha looked frantic and I felt like the bottom of my stomach dropped out, like the world had been ripped from beneath my feet.

Natasha said,

"B-but that means that…The baby…" She squeezed my hand as tears rolled down her face, " _Our baby…_ "

Dr. Hiddleston said,

"I'm sorry, you lost the baby. Something went terribly wrong and there wasn't anything you could do."

I started to cry as Natasha put a hand where just a few hours before, I had kissed our baby and told Natasha that I would stand by her.

I was wrong, I never got lucky, and now I would never be a father.

Natasha wailed in desolation as the doctor left us to cry.

So much for what should've been 'my perfection'.

Our friends came back and mourned the loss with us, not a single eye was dry, even Fury shed tears.

When we laid the child to rest two days later in a little fenced in corner of the local cemetery, Natasha never left my side. All the agents of SHIELD paid their respects and there was a sea of black in the living area of Stark Tower for a reception.

All of that as a memorial to what should've been my perfection.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about beating the living shit out of your feelings, the next chapter will be happier, I promise!   
> Don't forget to bookmark, comment, and leave some Kudos!


	8. Bifrost Bits & Lucky Charms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final stages of grieving come faster than expected and Bruce asks an important question...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lot happier, so get ready to smile like it's nobody's business :)

**Bruce POV**

I snuck out of bed with Natasha and went down to the laboratory.

It had been two months since the funeral. It was around two in the morning and I had to take my mind off of Hulking out.

I had Hulked out a total of forty seven times since the miscarriage.

Luckily I had been aware of it and got myself to the unit before I became a monster.

_Monster_

That name rang in my  head every day since Natasha lost the baby.

I closed the door to the lab behind me and glanced over at Tony who was snoring away, his head on his work desk and drooling on his blueprints.

I half smirked at the genius as he talked in his sleep.

I was also anxious.

I had planned on asking Natasha to marry me before the miscarriage.

I had kept my mother’s engagement ring, her most prized possession, from when she had given it to me on her deathbed. I still remember what she told me when she took the ring off and pressed it into my palm.

_“Here Bruce, take my engagement ring. I know it isn’t much, but it serves its purpose. Your father, terrible as he was to you and Grace, God rest her soul, loved me at one time. Maybe you can find a woman who loves you unconditionally and  with all her heart. A woman  who you can give this to as a sign of your commitment to loving her.”_

_“But mom, how will I know that she’s the one for me?”_

_“You’ll know her when you see her. If you love her with a pure heart, if she shows you her fears and if she’s told you that there is no man she’d rather be with, then she’s the one. When you’ve gone to hell and back with her by your side, when she’s seen and loves you at your worst and her loyalty hasn’t wavered is when you know that she’s the one. You have to propose when you find yourself putting her happiness first every single day  and when you know she’ll be happy with you forever. ”_

I had contemplated asking Natasha to marry me more than once since Hawaii, I was planning to do it the day after she told everyone that I was the father.

Then the miscarriage had ruined everything.

I was going through the final stage of loss and learning to accept what I cannot change.

I sat down on my stool and began to study my plasma for what seemed like the billionth time.

 I heard light footsteps walk across the floor of the lab towards my stool as Natasha came over to me in her pajamas and slippers.

“You know I can tell when you’re not holding me, right?”

 She gently placed her hand on mine. I looked up at her as she kissed my forehead.

“Bruce?”

“Yes?”

“Come to bed. You’ve been awake for nearly thirty six hours and you’re starting to worry me.”

I pulled away from her and faced the window. I sighed and decided to tell her the truth.

“Ever since the funeral, I’ve been Hulking out more often than usual. The grief isn’t just taking its toll on me, it’s affecting the Hulk as well. Natasha, I’m afraid of hurting you. I swore that I wouldn’t, but I’m not certain of anything these days.”

 _“Except marrying you.”_ I thought to myself.

She came close to me before sinking into my arms.

“You won’t hurt me. I’m not afraid of the Hulk, I know he wouldn’t hurt me. Please come to bed.”

I squeezed her gently. I looked over at Tony who appeared to be quite comfortable where he was. He didn’t need me.

“Okay.”

  Natasha smiled and took my hand, leading me back to my room. I decided right then and there that I would ask her to marry me in the morning.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I slid into bed with Bruce and he held me close until I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

When my alarm went off the next morning, I rolled out of bed and found Bruce standing on the balcony, the early September wind blowing in the open door. He gazed out over the city as the sun painted the morning sky a beautiful shade of pink. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him from behind.

I was always a fast healer, in all ways, so I was ‘progressing onto the last stage of grieving’ as the counselor Bruce and I had been seeing had stated. I was learning to accept the fact that I had miscarried. Bruce was no stranger to death and he was healing too. He was accepting the loss of the baby with me. I had seen him at his worst and helped him through it. I had sworn on my life that he would be okay. I had to keep that promise. He turned around and kissed me softly.

“Good morning beautiful.” He said to me and smiled.

“Morning Bruce.”

He held me close and said,

“I have to ask you something. Wait here.”

He went back  into the bedroom and I saw him pull something out of his sock drawer.

He walked back to me and gestured to the balcony chairs. We sat down and he faced me. The morning sun glinted off his glasses and he took them off, gazing at me.

“Natasha, I want to let you know that I love you and that you mean the world to me. You always will. I promised you that I would stay by your side and I want to keep that promise.”

He swept his hand through his hair and took my hand.

“I need to know how you feel about me.”

I didn’t hesitate,

“I love you Bruce, I’ve never been happier in all my life than when I’m with you.”

He smiled again and exhaled.

“Do you love me unconditionally?”

“Yes, you know me better than I know myself. I love you. _Both sides of you_. I will never stop feeling this way. I trust you with my life.”

He nodded and said,

“You’ve been there for me. You know my fears and I know yours. You’ve told me all your secrets and about your past. I want to be there for you forever if you’ll let me.”

“Of course I will, Bruce.”

Then he did the thing I was least expecting.

He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee. My heart was beating a million miles an hour and I felt myself tensing up. Bruce gazed up at me with those warm brown eyes of his and said,

“I want to keep my promise. I want nothing more than to stay by your side for the rest of my life. I love you. Natasha, Will you marry me?”

I nodded my head.

“Oh Bruce, yes, yes I will marry you!!”

He grinned widely as I extended my left hand, he took it and slipped the ring onto my fourth finger. It was a beautiful diamond ring with an antique look about it. I lunged forward and parked myself on his lap before kissing him passionately.

I had never wanted anything more than to be with him forever. He was smart, handsome and completely selfless. He always had everyone’s safety in mind. Bruce had gone through hell for my sake, he had stayed by my side all throughout my pregnancy and was there for me when I needed him.

Fate may have screwed both of  us over but that was going to change. I stood up as he did, my hands running through his curly hair. We broke apart and he said,

“That was the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever done.”

I laughed at his honesty as I kissed his cheek.

“Well I’m glad you’re being honest. Now I’d like to say honestly that I can’t wait to be the future Mrs. Banner.”

Bruce murmured against my neck,

“Mm, well Future Mrs. Natasha Banner, I’d like to honestly say that I have to take a shower.”

I purred back into his ear,

“You should save water and take a shower with me.”

He lifted his head and said,

“Well, when you put it that way…”

He kissed me as he guided me into the bathroom.

**An hour later…**

Bruce walked with me, hand in hand as we went to breakfast.

I had just thought all of a sudden that everyone in the tower was finding their other half and was either engaged or married.

Pepper and Tony’s wedding was scheduled for New Year’s Eve. Bruce was asked to be the best man and I was asked to be the maid of honor.

Phil and Maria had been married in a small civil service at the nearest courthouse last month.

Steve and Beth were still just boyfriend and girlfriend, so were Serena and Clint.

Jane and Thor were always happy and busy with Ed and Liz who were nearly five months old.

 All that needed to happen was for Fury to get a girlfriend (fat chance, he didn’t trust anyone) and Darcy to get a boyfriend and then we’d all be taken!

The elevator doors opened and I shoved my left hand into the pocket of my jeans, purposefully hiding the ring. I whispered to Bruce,

“I just want to see who notices it first.”

He nodded.

I went into the kitchen and got myself a cup of coffee, Bruce came up and slipped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. This was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my days with.

He poured himself a cup of tea and we stood in front of the deck windows, enjoying the sunrise when Clint tumbled out of the air vent, fell fifteen feet and landed in a crouched position before getting up and holding out his arms as Serena dropped into them from the vent.

 She kissed Clint on the cheek before saying, "Thanks Love.", and then noticed Bruce and I. 

“Good morning Dr. Banner! Hey Tasha!”, Serena called out as Clint placed her feet on the floor.

Bruce and I said, “Morning!” in unison.

Some type of waltz began to play over the speakers in the living area and the elevator doors opened to reveal Beth being twirled around by Steve as they continued to dance to the waltz even into the kitchen. I had to ask,

“Hey Beth? What’s up with the fancy footwork?”

“Oh I taught Steve how to waltz last night and he decided to dance with me up to breakfast.”

The song continued to play as the rest of the tower’s residents settled down to eat their breakfast.

Nobody felt like cooking, so we all ate Lucky Charms.

A bright beam of sunlight shone directly onto the table and it caught the diamond on my ring, sending rainbows dancing across the ceiling and causing Thor to look up in amazement.

“There seems to be bits of the Bifrost on your walls, Sir Stark.”

 Pepper squealed suddenly as she pointed at my hand.

“OH MY GOD!!!! NATASHA!!!!”

Everyone looked up at the usually collected woman’s sudden outburst. Then everyone’s eyes fell on my hand. Tony looked at me as Pepper continued to point at my hand,

“ Um Natasha? Is that an _engagement_ ring?”

I blushed and said,

“Yes it is.” I looked over at Bruce who was flashing his brilliant smile as he said,

“Yes. I proposed this morning. And Natasha accepted my proposal.”

The table erupted in cheers and Tony  yelled out,

“FINALLY THANK GOD!!”

Bruce held my hand as we both blushed. Pepper bounced up and down like a silly schoolgirl,

“When’s the wedding?”

“Um we don’t know.”

A million different questions were being fired at us, Bruce just raised a hand calmly and a hush fell over the table.

“We haven’t had the time to discuss things like dates, the wedding party or anything like that, please be patient with us.”

The breakfast crowd dissipated as Bruce and I went up to the roof. He sat down first and I dropped to my knees next to him, admiring the ring.

“It was my mother’s.”

“What was?”

I looked up in slight confusion and saw Bruce smile as he looked into the open sky around us he glanced back and said,

“The ring was my mother’s.”   

“Oh”

“She gave it to me as she was dying. She told me what I would see in the woman who was the right one for me. You fit the criteria pretty well, not to mention our history.”

“Bruce?”

He laid down on the roof and I leaned back with him as he asked,

“What’s on your mind?”

“This may be a bad time to ask you, but would you want to try again for another shot at parenthood? You know, after we’re  married.”, I asked.

He rolled onto his side and said,

“I would do anything to be a father. We can even adopt a child. I just want to be a father so badly.”

“You deserve a family. I want kids of my own too.”, I replied.

Bruce smiled and said,

“I have a feeling that we’re going to have very beautiful children together.”

I remembered my dream from the night of the miscarriage, only I didn’t cry or get upset about it.

I smiled and scooted into Bruce’s warm embrace.

“I think you’re right.”

We held each other for a long time until I heard Jarvis come over the roof speaker.

“Avengers Assemble, we have an emergency!”

Bruce and I stole one more kiss as we ran down many flights of steps until we reached  the armory.

I ran into my changing area and zipped up my Black Widow suit, strapping on my holsters for pistols and knives.

I walked out to grab my charged up Widow’s Bite gauntlets, only to find them gone.

I turned around and saw Bruce holding them.

“Hey, Future Mrs. Banner, looking for these?”

I walked over to him as he slid them onto my hands,

“Thank you Dr. Banner.”

I kissed him passionately as he pushed me up against a wall.

Steve came out in his uniform, toting his shield.

He saw us kissing, averted his eyes and coughed nervously.

We broke apart and Captain America shifted where he stood.

“So, uh, I guess you two…you know… _fondue_?”

Bruce smirked and we both nodded as Cap’s face grew red. I couldn’t help myself, I had to know.

“Hey Cap?”

He turned around, still blushing,

“Yes ma’am?”

Bruce seemed to catch onto what I was saying and I let him complete my thought,

“Do you and Beth…you know… _fondue?_ ”, He asked, wiggling his eyebrows  in a snarky manner that would make Tony very proud.

Captain America's eyse got wide and  he was at a loss for words briefly before saying,

“Uh yes…in a way.”

Before turning on his heel and running out of the armory.

When he left, Bruce and I started laughing at his reaction to our question.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be sure to comment, bookmark, and leave me some Kudos! Chapter 9 is on it's way!


	9. Color of Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Pepper have a proposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really put a disclaimer in here somewhere so I don't get sued so here it is:  
> I do not own Marvel, The Avengers, SHIELD, or any of the characters in the Marvel Universe.   
> The Original Characters (Dr. Lyle Hiddleston, Agent Serena Atwell, Edward and Elizabeth Odinson, and a few others) and my original ideas are my own.

**Bruce POV**

I watched Natasha practically fly through the wreck that was all that remained of the jazz club where the robots had first appeared. I was flying the SHIELD helicopter (Clint had taught me how to last November) around the wreckage and picking off stray robots while warning the others about advancing enemies.

Captain was working on smashing a half dozen robots by the restrooms (or what was left of them), Tony was looking for a way to power all of them down from a main switch, Clint was up high shooting them with Serena, and Thor was electrocuting them by the dozens. But I really watched Natasha the whole time as I hovered. She danced among the robots, smashing them as she went. I noticed a bunch of them fleeing from the other guys and converging around my fiancée.

The Hulk was tearing away at my mental fortitude, begging for release, just as I heard Natasha's voice over her headset,

"Bruce! I need a lot of help down here. Maybe you can come down here and vent a little?"

"Yes dear."

I called Clint and he shot a grappling hook arrow into the helicopter door and took over as I got angry. I heard the Hulk roaring louder than ever, I was letting him out. I felt myself expanding and my vision turned from all colors to a steady shade of radioactive green. I jumped out of the helicopter in the middle of my transformation and I landed as the Hulk.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I heard a loud thud from behind me and I felt the ground shake. I smiled as I turned and saw the Hulk making the robots short circuit with a single, ear-splitting roar.

"HULK SMASH!"

He took them out with a swing of his arm, crushing them as if they were twigs. It was terrifying and powerful even if I knew that the Hulk would never hurt me.

I turned around just in time to kick an advancing robot in its head. Tony came over my headset and said,

"Guys, I found the main switch and Jarvis is working to cut the power, you can keep fighting but I think these robots are equipped with a self-destruct feature. This means that if I turn the main power off, they could go into a lockdown and simultaneously combust at any given moment, so please use caution."

I continued to fight and then all of a sudden, I felt the ground shake. I turned around and saw a stampede of robots coming towards me.

"Son of a bitch…", I muttered before I turned and hauled ass as they gained on me.

"Hulk!", I called out as I ran.

He looked over, saw me running for my life, and a look of concern flashed across his features.

Then he got mad.

Really mad.

"HULK SMASH!", He roared and began charging towards me.

Just before we were about to collide, he leapt over me and began destroying the angry mob of robots.

I wasn't watching where I was going and I tripped over a chunk of concrete. I fell and felt my right ankle give out. I landed on my stomach and I twisted myself around so I could assess the damage.

My right foot was bent at an odd angle and I had definitely broken something.

I attempted to stand up and let out a long string of swear words in Russian before bracing myself against a nearby wall as the pain became unbearable.

I pressed a finger to my headset and called Clint.

"Clint, I think I broke my ankle, can you fly over and drop me a line?"

"One dropped line, coming right up."

I glanced over to the main fight and looked up.

Today was definitely a day to remember.

Bruce proposed to me this morning and then I got myself injured again.

I'd have to go through physical therapy all over again, just the thought of it made me scowl.

I looked over and saw the Hulk watching me from a distance, a worried look on his face as he walked over to me.

I knew he wouldn't harm me but that didn't stop my heart from beating faster as he approached. He looked at me, tilting his head to one side and asked in a soft tone,

"Spider hurt?"

I nodded.

"Yes, spider hurt.", I replied.

"Hulk hurt spider?", he asked, his eyebrows coming together like he was overcome with guilt.

"No, bad robots hurt spider."

Hulk looked over at the sparking remains of said robots.

"Spider safe now, Hulk smash bad robots."

He came closer and I saw Clint hovering,

"Clint, don't try to take me now, he may mistake you for an enemy."

"Alright Tasha."

I looked at Hulk as he came even closer, extending a large hand to me. I reached out and touched his large index finger.

"Hulk protect pretty spider."

"Thank you."

He came closer and sat down near me, I attempted to walk over to him but I cringed as I shifted my ankle.

Hulk noticed my discomfort and picked me up gently around my waist, sitting me down on his lap.

"Hulk love pretty spider, Bruce love spider too. Spider love Hulk?"

I nodded and said,

"Natasha loves Hulk and Bruce."

He placed a finger under my chin and cooed,

"Natasha. Pretty Natasha."

Hulk seemed to grow tired and he started to shrink down to a normal size. Soon he started looking more like Bruce, only the green hadn't faded.

"Bruce?", I asked tentatively, wondering if the Hulk still controlled him.

Hulk/Bruce looked at me and said in a voice that sounded like Bruce,

"Hulk still here, Bruce be here in a moment. Natasha need to wait."

I watched patiently as Hulk/Bruce's skin began to fade from green to Bruce's normal tone. He looked at me with his mournful radioactive green eyes and I watched as the green faded and was replaced by the warm brown that I had fallen in love with from the start. Bruce shook his head and a pesky curl of his brown hair fell onto his forehead. I smiled as I reached out and brushed it away, kissing him gently.

"Nice to have you back."

He looked up at me, worry clearly evident in his expression.

"Natasha. Are you alright? What did I do? Did I hurt anyone?"

"No, I'm not alright, I think I broke my ankle when I fell over a piece of concrete. You destroyed a bunch of robots and you saved my life. You didn't hurt anybody at all."

He let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness." He turned to me. "Now, what about your ankle? Can you stand or walk?"

"No, I can't put any sort of weight on my right ankle. I can have Clint pick us up."

Soon we were flying back to the tower.

Bruce stepped out of the on board bathroom, wearing a new outfit and looking more like himself.

I was laying down, still in my uniform and waiting for Bruce to examine my ankle. He had demanded that I leave my boot on for the time being and that he would remove it when we got home.

All I wanted to do was pop some popcorn, pick out a movie, and snuggle up next to Bruce.

I didn't want to go through medical, that hellhole was full of nosy doctors and nurses that have probably never even heard of a thing called patient privacy. I swear that they have every one of my dirty secrets on file somewhere, they have dirt on every agent of SHIELD and on every Avenger and their significant others.

Thank God Tony had furnished a small Medical Wing on the 100th floor.

Bruce came over and held my hand, thumb brushing over the back of it gently. He leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"I'm so glad you said yes."

I gazed up at him and said,

"So am I."

* * *

**Bruce POV**

Steve and I helped Natasha disembark when we got home and I took her straight to the small 'Medical Wing' we had at the tower.

I helped her change into some more comfortable clothes and she cringed as I slipped her uniform boot off of her swollen ankle.

She was right, she definitely broke it.

I touched it gingerly and she said a few choice words.

I took her into the X Ray area and got a couple shots of her ankle, which happened to be cleanly broken.

"So how bad is it?", she called from her bed.

"You broke it. Now I have to fix it up for you."

I came into the room, holding the wrappings for her cast.

"What color do you want?", I grinned at her as I held up a roll of rainbow cast material.

She rolled her eyes at my attempt at humor.

"I'm the Black Widow, what color do you think I want?" she smirked at me.

I nodded.

"Okay so I guess you'll be wanting a red cast?"

"Yes please Dr. Banner."

I went straight to work on setting her ankle and told her that it would be off in four weeks. She scowled at the hardening cast and groaned,

"Ugh, Bruce…I hate being injured."

"I hate seeing you injured."

"Bruce?"

"Hmm?"

"What color roses do you think I should have in my bouquet?"

I glanced over at her and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Lavender is nice for love at first sight, but I've always found that red was symbolic of bliss to marriage and true love."

"Well Bruce, red _is_ my color of choice."

I took her hand and admired how well my mother's ring suited her. It was a perfect fit too, like Natasha was meant to wear it.

_Mother would have been proud._

"Hey Bruce, do you want to be the first one to sign my cast before Tony draws all over it and turns it into an artist's rendering of his armor?", she laughed as i went over to the storage closet.

"Sure..."

Knowing Tony, he probably would do something like that.

I opened up the closet and pulled out a pair of crutches and brought them over to Natasha.

"Jesus Christ Bruce! I don't need those!"

I rolled my eyes. She was so stubborn and it made me love her that much more.

"Natasha, you _do_ need these, no matter how much you hate to admit it. Just think of them as unlikely weapons."

She shrugged and muttered under her breath,

"Well, I don't have to like them."

I shook my head.

"No sweetheart, you don't have to like them."

She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

" _Sweetheart?_ Is that my new pet name?"

I shrugged as I felt the heat rising up in my face.

"If you don't want it to be then…" I trailed off.

"No Bruce. I'd love to be your sweetheart."

She smiled and then swung her legs over the side of her bed, attempting to stand. She wobbled around and I supported her as she said,

"I'd love to be your whole world."

I pulled her close and murmured, my lips a millimeter away from hers,

"Ah, but my lovely Natasha, you already are."

She pressed her lips to mine. I could feel her passion, it made me go insane and have a strong urge to tear her clothes off and make love to her right here, right now.

Natasha wobbled even more and that snapped me out of my testosterone-charged daydream.

We broke apart as she grabbed her crutches and said,

"I might as well get used to these things while I can."

I smiled at her flexibility. Then again, there was no doubt in my mind that, had any other doctor been telling her to use the crutches, that she would have vehemently refused to do so.

_Such a beautiful, stubborn woman._

I pressed the elevator call button and we got on board.

"So Bruce?"

"Yes?"

She fixed me with her lovely, green-eyed gaze and said,

"Who do you want in the wedding party?"

"Well, let me think…Tony definitely has to be my best man."

She nodded in agreement.

"Pepper is going to be my maid of honor. Who do you want to give me away?"

"Clint. He is the closest thing to a brother that you have."

"I agree."

The elevator doors slid open and then Pepper pulled Natasha and I aside, into the formal dining room.

"Pepper," Natasha asked, "What on earth is going on?"

The strawberry blonde woman turned to us and said,

"We're celebrating!"

"Celebrating what?"

"Your engagement of course!"

Natasha and I looked at each other and down at our casual attire.

"Oh. If you had given us a bit of a heads-up, I wouldn't have dressed in sweat pants and an old t-shirt...", Natasha said, looking down at herself.

"Well it's a special event when one becomes engaged, and Tony insisted on throwing a small celebratory dinner party."

We followed Pepper into the formal dining room where all our friends had already gathered and sat down next to each other as Tony stood up.

"I'd like to raise a toast to my best friend and his lovely fiancée.", Tony raised his glass and looked at us, "Bruce, from the first time I met you, I could see greatness and a heart of gold under all that insecurity. It takes a lot for a genius like myself to break that barrier of insecurities, but it takes an even smarter, more sophisticated woman to make those insecurities disappear. Thank you Natasha. Bruce, my friend, my science brother, I wish you and Natasha all the joy in the world. To the happy couple!"

Glasses clinked together as a chorus of "To the happy couple!" echoed around the table.

We were served Surf and Turf, which was my favorite food and then for dessert we had Sharlotka (a Russian apple cake), which was Natasha's favorite dessert.

We sat around and then Tony spoke up,

"Pepper and I just got this incredible idea."

He glanced over at Pepper and she grinned as Tony nodded, giving her the go ahead.

"We want to have a double wedding!", Pepper practically squealed.

I looked at Natasha who was coughing in utter surprise over her spicy Bloody Mary. She sputtered,

"Y-You what?"

Tony reiterated for his fiancée,

"We asked you if you wanted to get married at the same service as us, same venue, same everything."

I was stunned into silence.

Tony never shared, and now he was willing to share the most important day of his and Pepper's entire lives.

Was I willing to share mine?

More importantly though, was Natasha willing to share hers?

I turned to Natasha who was chugging her Bloody Mary, obviously shocked by the question at hand. I finally found my voice and addressed Tony.

"We…are uh going to take a moment in private to consider taking you up on this, so yeah."

I stood quickly and Natasha hobbled out as fast as she could on her crutches. We closed the double doors behind us and she said,

"What the unholy fuck are they thinking?"

I was astonished too and I shook my head,

"I have no clue."

"Do you want to share with them?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should weigh the pros and cons of this."

"Maybe we should."

I only hoped that our decision wouldn't backfire on us.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and, as always, your support and feedback is very welcome.


	10. A Long Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise eheheheheheh ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own anything.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I was mad. I wanted to beat the sand out of a punching bag in the gym. I wanted to go a few rounds with Steve on the mats. I wanted to walk down the freaking hallway without crutches. God why do I have to be injured? This cast would drive me to the very brink of insanity, and it had only been two weeks since I got it!

And to top it all off, I had an itch under it.

I rolled out of bed and Bruce followed close behind me. I glanced over at my crutches, grabbed them from their spot, and scowled. God I hated these things with a burning passion.

When Bruce went to wish me a good morning, I didn’t snap at him, I just muttered,

“As if…”, under my breath and pulled away from him.

Bruce asked me, a note of hurt in his voice,

“Hey,  Nat are you okay?”

I turned to him, and when I saw his deep brown eyes peering over the rims of his glasses, that pesky curl of hair falling into his face, I swear my mood lifted considerably. I forgot why I was having such a bad morning as he brushed the curl away.

“Nothing.”

He smiled.

“That’s good  because we have a long day ahead of us.”

I thought for a second. I didn’t recall having planned anything.

“Uh Bruce? What’s on today’s  agenda?”

He pulled a notebook out of his bedside drawer, and began to read from it.

“Well, let’s see…Today is Wednesday. You have an appointment with Dr. Hiddleston at nine, we have to get our annual flu shots, we have a meeting at SHIELD at eleven, and then we have our first meeting with the wedding planner at one.”

I glanced over at the alarm clock. Six AM.

“Well, I guess we had better get moving.”

Two hours later, we were sitting in the waiting room at Dr. Hiddleston’s office and I was reading the latest issue of Modern Bride while Bruce read People magazine.

“Miss Romanoff? Dr. Banner?”, Jennifer called out as we stood, dropped our magazines and followed her back into Dr. Hiddleston’s office.

“Ah, Agent Romanoff and Dr. Banner, you two are looking well. Except for your obvious injury of course.” He motioned to my cast.

We sat down and Dr. Hiddleston leaned back in his seat before pulling out my medical file and asking me how I’ve been lately.

“Well, aside from my ankle, I’ve been fine.”

“Monthly cycle is regular?”, he asked me, taking notes in my file.

“Like clockwork.”  

“Good. Good… any sort of questions, comments, concerns?”, he looked up at us.

Bruce shifted in his seat before speaking,

“I have a question regarding Natasha’s…um…Fertility.”

I looked at him. I knew he wanted children but I was certain that I could conceive. One miscarriage couldn’t make me infertile? _Could it?_

Dr. Hiddleston lifted his green eyed gaze to us.

“Which is?”

Bruce shifted again, turning the slightest shade of pink, and replied,

“She only had the one miscarriage. Does that mean she’s…infertile? I may have a PhD but it’s only for physics, I picked up the medical studies along the way but I only got my bachelor’s in it. It was enough to set a bone, not enough to perform surgery, so I really have no experience with women’s health.”

“Well, a miscarriage can be caused by many factors and one of them could be that Natasha is infertile. I highly doubt that though because she was perfectly normal during all her other examinations and she did manage to conceive.”

I spoke now,

“What are some tips when we do decide to try again because Bruce and I plan on being married soon and we want to have children.”

Dr. Hiddleston offered his congratulations and rattled off a list of treatments and different things that Bruce and I could do in the bedroom to boost our chances of conception. I got a clean bill of health and the exam done by quarter after ten. We drove to SHIELD HQ and got our flu shots at the medical clinic there.

I almost wrung the neck of the nurse who injected me for grinning evilly at my cast, whispering to the other nurse about my engagement ring, and making a snide comment towards Bruce and I about the miscarriage.

“It must be nice,” she said, glancing at me and then at Bruce, “knowing your mistakes will fix themselves.”

I looked over at Bruce who was struggling to hold in the Hulk after that comment. It didn’t stop his eyes from flashing green and growling out at the nurse,

“Why don’t you mind your own damn business before I make a mistake that won’t fix itself!”

The nurse went wide-eyed and backed out of the room after apologizing.

“Bruce? Are you okay?”, I asked.

He unrolled his shirt sleeve and nodded.

“I’m fine. It’s just that I can’t stand all these rumors flying around. I don’t want everyone to know our business.”

I sighed as I lifted myself up on my crutches.

“These are SHIELD medics we’re dealing with, they’ll talk about anything. They are the lifeblood of the rumor mill here. I don’t like it either, but if it makes you feel any better, I can have Clint make sure every one of her dirty secrets is unearthed by Friday.”

“As _tempting_ as that sounds, I’d rather not cause a stir.”

“Okay then. Come on, we have a meeting to get to.”

In the meeting, Fury had not just us, but all the Avengers gathered.

“What’s going on here Fury?”, Clint asked.

Fury turned to us and said,

“This may come as a shock to all of you but I have been talking to your father.” He pointed to Thor.

“My father? Odin? What business has he with the good people of Midgard?”

“Loki has been facing Asgardian justice for over a year. Odin made the final call. He is banishing Loki.”

Clint punched the air in victory as all of us murmured our approval. All of us except Thor.

“What realm is Loki being banished to?”

Fury opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a smooth voice as the door to the conference room opened.

“Well, _brother_ , it just so happens that I was banished to Midgard.”

Loki walked in the door with his signature smirk on his face and dressed in a modified version of his lightweight battle armor.

“Miss me?”

“What the fuck is he doing here?” , asked Steve, of all people.

I have no clue what shocked me more; Loki walking into the room or Captain America saying the F-word.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I sat there, dumbfounded.

Loki had just walked in here and Steve had said a swear word.

This meeting was getting weirder by the second.

“ _Brother!_ What are you doing here?”, Thor asked.

 “Director Fury told you, did he not? I’ve been stripped of my powers and banished to Midgard.”

Tony stood up.

“He’s still going to prison! Right Fury?”

Director Fury rolled his eye and said,

“You all didn’t let me finish. I was about to tell you that Loki was being controlled by the Tesseract. Odin believed him but everyone on the Asgardian council did not. The way the justice system works up there is like this: the council chooses two possible fates for the person on trial, and Odin chooses between the two fates. Loki was given death by decapitation or exile. Frigga, Thor’s biological mother and Loki’s adoptive mother, begged Odin to spare Loki’s life. Odin complied with his wife’s request and exiled Loki to earth after stripping him of his powers. He is free of the mind control and he is still has the physical traits of a demigod, but he has no powers other than his Jotun or Frost Giant powers.”

This was unbelievable. He tried to enslave the human race and now he was being offered a second chance? What the hell is going on here? Loki stood and said,

“I do apologize for my actions, I was aware of what the Tesseract was forcing me to do, but I was completely helpless. It was dreadful. Like I was a prisoner in my own body. The Tesseract pulled my mind out of control and stuffed something else in there. I was _unmade._ ”, he shuddered as he emphasized the last word.

I glanced over at Natasha whose eyes were narrowed and flicking between Loki and Clint who was tensed up and seemed to be having an internal panic attack. Tony asked again,

“Uh, Captain Eyepatch? You didn’t answer my original question. Is Loki going to prison?”

Fury stared directly at Tony.

“Loki has been recruited, he’s now a team member, so I expect that he is treated as such.”  

Thor looked at Tony with pleading eyes.

“Sir Stark? Can my brother take up lodging with us at the tower as he is now a part of the team?”

“No he can’t stay with us. He’s a criminal that almost killed every one of us. He belongs in a prison.”

Fury gave Tony a look that said _“My word is law.”_ Before walking out of the room.

“Please Sir Stark, I beg of you, for my brother’s sake, let him live with us.”

“Oh all right!!! But if he steps out of line at all, or does any weird ‘frost giant’ shit, I’m calling the cops.”

Loki actually looked convincing when he said,

“Thank you for your hospitality Sir Stark. I promise you that I will be on my best behavior at all times whilst I’m here on earth. I am also deeply sorry for the destruction of your tower.”

The meeting came to a close as Thor got up and walked over to Loki and told him about his children as Natasha grabbed her crutches and we left to go and see our wedding planner.

When I got behind the wheel of her car, she asked me,

“Bruce, what do you think of this whole ‘Loki living in the tower’ thing?”

I revved the engine and said,

“I don’t like it one bit. I suppose his Jotun powers may come in handy during battles though and as long as he keeps his word, I suppose we’ll get used to him living with us.”

We went to Rockefeller Center, where our wedding planner, Nicole Hales, had her office. Pepper had given us her business card (we hadn’t decided yet whether or not we would be having a double wedding with the Stark’s) and said that Tony would cover the tab. Another perk to having a billionaire for your best friend, besides good company, was never being short on cash.

We parked and went to her office where we were greeted by her secretary. We were showed into her office and then we sat down as Nicole Hales spun around in her desk chair with a flourish.

“Ah Natasha and Bruce, it is so good to finally meet you. My name is Nicole Hales, but please, just call me Nicole.”

“Hello then Nicole. What’s the first step in planning a wedding?”, Natasha asked.

“That would be to consult with me, the second step is telling me your ideas. Will you be married in a church or at a different venue?”

We had already decided on that much. Even if we decided on a doubling with the Stark’s, we would have it in a church.

“A church service would be nice.”, Natasha said, voicing my thoughts.

“Alright, that’s a great start. What are your favorite colors?”

I glanced at Natasha and she said, “Red.” At the same time that I said, “Purple”. We both chuckled to ourselves and then I asked Natasha,

“So what color do you want more?”

“Um, may I offer a suggestion?”, Nicole asked, we nodded.

“The complementary color to red is green and the primary color for purple is yellow. You can make any color pairs that you want, it’s your wedding, not mine, but keep those pairs in mind. I have an idea, it’s very popular with many couples: light blue and a light brown.”

I looked at Natasha who shrugged.

“How about we try Emerald and Celadon?”, Nicole offered, brows raised, “Those two would suit your skin tones very well, especially yours Bruce, and they would add a beautiful contrast to Natasha’s hair and eyes.”

She pulled a sample of the colors out of her desk and slid them towards us.

“Well? What do you think?”

I didn’t like the idea of green very well, those weren’t my colors, they were the Hulk’s colors. Natasha seemed to sense my tension and said,

“I think I may have to step outside and have a private word with Bruce.”

Nicole looked at us and nodded. Natasha grabbed her crutches and pulled me out into the hallway. Once the office door had closed behind us, Natasha reached up and placed her hand on my cheek, concern marring her features.

“What’s wrong?”

I sighed and pushed an annoying lock of hair off of my forehead.

“I just don’t feel good about the color green.”

“Ah, because it reflects the Hulk.”

“Yeah. I _loathe_ that part of me. I’d rather not be reminded of  him on the happiest day of my life.”

Natasha’s green eyes stared deep into my soul.

“Bruce, no matter how much you hate the Hulk, he is still a part of you, and when I marry you, I won’t just be marrying Bruce, I’ll be marrying the Hulk too. I wouldn’t want anything less than that.”

I turned away from her. She didn’t understand at all. I was a freak and the Hulk was a monster. I was the Hulk. The monster was me. Why can’t she just see that?

“Natasha, the Hulk is the one thing that nobody should be _burdened_ with. He is a monster! Why can’t you see that?”

I turned to Natasha, who was clearly upset at the moment. I regretted my words and I wanted to kick my own ass for letting them roll off my tongue.

“Natasha, I-”

“No. you listen to me and you listen to me good because I won’t repeat myself. The Hulk isn’t a monster. The Hulk has saved more lives than he’s taken. I’ve  talked to the Hulk and he means me no harm. The Hulk is a part of you that you have to accept! I love you for who you are and part of that is loving the Hulk!”

“So you’re  telling me that I have to accept the fact that I’m a monster? That’s _really_ comforting!”

Natasha shook her head,

“You don’t understand! You have to see things the way I do.”

“And you have to understand how I feel. I never wanted this, I never wanted to kill, you were raised and trained to kill. We are so different and now I’m finally  seeing that clearly.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We. Are. Different. I am a monster that doesn’t deserve a love as strong or as true as yours.”

Natasha slid down the wall in the empty hallway, crying into her hands. I had really fucked this whole thing up now.

“Natasha, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean that. I need to learn to live with the Hulk and  it’ll be difficult for me to do. Please forgive me.”

Natasha looked up at me, drying her tears.

“Bruce, of course I forgive you. I was just being stupid about this whole thing, you deserve all the love in the world because you’ve been deprived of it for so long. So how about we go back in there and plan?”

I smirked and helped her up off the floor.

“You know, come to think of it, green would suit you. Maybe accepting the Hulk won’t be all that terrible.”, I brushed a stray hair away from her face, “I love you.”

She kissed me softly and whispered,

“I love you too.”

We went back into Nicole’s office and decided that emerald and celadon would be wonderful for our colors. She asked us a few questions like what types of flowers we wanted. Natasha wanted red and white roses tied together with lavender and green ribbons. All of our colors would symbolize something personal to us. The lavender would symbolize the lavender roses I gave her the day she woke up and also because lavender was a lighter shade of purple, which was my favorite color. The red would be symbolic of Natasha because it was her favorite  color and it symbolized the true love we felt for each other. The white would match Natasha’s dress and symbolize the purity of the love we shared. The green would represent accepting difficulties and differences.

We left after we chose our colors and got the numbers for a bunch of people that we would need to hire. The whole planning process would take a long time and I was already confused with the details. Good thing Natasha seems to know what she’s doing, otherwise we’d both be lost.

 In the car ride back to the tower, I asked Natasha how she imagined her wedding day as a child. She thought for a moment and then replied in an emotionless voice,

“When I was with the Red Room, I didn’t really have time to be a child. I was trained to kill without compassion, I never cried and, unlike most little girls, I never dreamed of my wedding day.”

She turned to me and asked,

“When you were a kid, what did you think your future would hold?”

“I always had a thing for science, I wanted to grow up and understand why things happened the way they did, I wanted to pick apart every natural occurrence to find out how and why it happened the way it did. I never thought I would end up like this, and I don’t mean having to live with the Hulk. As a kid, I never imagined I would have this many friends or even a fiancée. I never would have thought that my best friend would be Tony Stark. I guess we never know why things happen the way they do.”

I thought for a moment before asking,

“Hey Natasha?”

“Yeah?”

“If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?”

She didn’t hesitate,

“I’d wish for an end to world hunger, a cure for cancer, and your intelligence.”

“My intelligence? What for?”

“So when you and Stark are playing mad scientist in the R&D labs, I can actually understand what you’re doing?”

I laughed.

“Trust me, half of the time we’re up there, all we do is clean up Tony’s messes because he’s always blowing something up or setting something on fire. You aren’t missing out on anything too interesting.”

“Okay then, _Mr. Genius-_ ”, she smirked as I cut her off,

“Hey its _Doctor Genius,_ that PhD didn’t earn itself you know!”, I laughed.  

“Fine then, _Doctor Genius_ , if you had three wishes, what would you wish for?”

“Well let’s see. I’d wish for an expandable suit, so the Hulk isn’t always tearing up my clothes in battle, I’d wish for a nice house in the suburbs, and I’d wish for a cure for AIDS.”

She tilted her head to one side.

“Why a house in the suburbs?”

I parked, and went around to open the door for Natasha. As she lifted herself up on her crutches, I replied,

“I’d want a house in the suburbs because it would be the ideal place for you and I to raise a family and spend the rest of our lives together.”

She smiled at me and said,

“I think I’d like that too.”

* * *

**Natasha POV**

We spent the rest of the day trying to get used to Loki being around us. Darcy was teaching him about most of the ‘strange Midgardian customs’ and then Loki got to meet his niece and nephew. The way Loki’s eyes lit up when he first met Ed and Liz was priceless. I had always thought that he wouldn’t be the one for sentiment, but he couldn’t stop smiling and cooing at them as they squirmed around and giggled in his lap.

It was our turn to cook and we decided to make grilled cheese and tomato soup (let’s face it, my cooking isn’t the best). Everyone agreed that it was actually really good, even if I did burn the sandwiches a bit.

I noticed that Darcy and Loki were flirting with each other over dinner as Darcy was teaching Loki how to play Temple Run on her iPhone. Loki looked up, gestured at the iPhone, and stated that he would like ‘one of these odd little Midgardian devices on which one can play games’.    

Bruce and I went back to our room and as I closed the door behind me and turned on my lights, he wrapped his arm around my waist, pressing his lips to the sensitive part of my neck as he dimmed the lights.  I put my crutches in the corner and let out a yelp of surprise as Bruce picked me up bridal style. He sat me down on the bed and pushed my hair off of my neck, his lips returning to the same spot.

“Mm Bruce…”

 I was halfway undressed when he flipped me deftly onto my back and positioned himself  so he wouldn’t crush me. I lowered my eyelids and said in a seductive voice, unbuttoning his khakis slowly,

“Feeling a bit romantic tonight, Dr. Banner?”

He replied in a husky growl, tossing the rest of my clothes away,

“Romance isn’t the only thing I’m feeling, Agent Romanoff.”

I flipped him over, discarded his boxers, and purred,

“Well it has been a long day.”

He traced the scars on my back gently.

“Yes it has.”

I gasped as he flipped me over and murmured against my lips,

“Yes it has.”


	11. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad memories are in everyone's pasts, unfortunately for Bruce, these bad memories can cause the Hulk to make a mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mentions suicide, but not in graphic detail, so if this is a topic you want to avoid, please skip the part marked with the asterisks (*).   
> Speaking of suicide, this chapter is dedicated to my friend Katie Sellers who took her own life on May 22nd 2012. She would've celebrated her 20th birthday this February. RIP Katie, we miss you.   
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

**Bruce POV**

It was Thursday night, AKA family game night, so we were all sitting in the living room and it was Serena’s turn to pick the game. She said,

“Ooh let’s play ‘Spin the Bottle: Truth or Dare’, I haven’t played that since the Academy!”

Clint quirked an eyebrow at his girlfriend and asked her,

“This isn’t going to be like _normal_ ‘Spin the Bottle’ where you have to kiss someone, is it?”

Serena shook her head and explained,

“No kissing unless that’s a dare someone gives to another player. We just get in a circle, pick someone to spin the bottle first, whoever the bottle lands on; the victim, has to choose between truth or dare, then the question or dare will be given by the spinner. After the victim completes the dare or answers with the truth, they automatically become the new spinner. Simple and surprisingly fun.”

I looked at Natasha who shrugged and said,

“Hey at least it’s not ‘Twister’. I hate not being able to play the game I always beat everyone at.”

“Yeah,”, I smirked at her, “except that one time that you lost to Tony and he didn’t let you live it down.”

She rolled her eyes playfully at me,

“Really Bruce? I _forfeited_ because Tony’s feet were in my face, and that guy has some horrible foot odor!”

We burst out laughing as Serena called to us,

“You lovebirds gonna join the circle so we can get started?”

We nodded and joined the circle which consisted of everyone who lived in the tower except for the twins and Fury, who was visiting his parents in Fort Lauderdale and wouldn’t be back until next week.

Serena spun the bottle and it landed on Phil.

“Truth or Dare, Agent Coulson?”

“Truth.”

“Is it true that you have a tattoo of Captain America’s shield on your back?”

“Yes it is.”

Phil looked at Steve and said, “I’m a huge fan of yours.”, as Steve nodded awkwardly.

Phil spun the bottle and it landed on Darcy.

“Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss Loki, full contact, one minute.”

Loki looked up at Phil before asking,

“What? Why me?”

Phil shrugged,

“I thought it would be funny. Besides, you _did_ stab me in the back last year and I see the way you two look at each other. Consider it payback and a favor.”

Darcy glanced at the stunned demigod next to her and said,

“Might as well get this over with, c’mere Mischief Man… ”

Loki backed away, wide eyed, and blushing.

“Now, now,” He squeaked, “Let’s not be too hasty.”

Darcy grabbed him by the collar of his polo shirt and kissed the squirming demigod on the lips. He stopped wriggling around after four seconds before placing his left hand on Darcy’s waist, pulling her body closer and running his right hand through her mane of dark brown hair, kissing her back with relish.

I glanced over at Natasha, who was snickering behind her hand at the demigod’s reaction.

“Time!” Phil called out.

Darcy and Loki released each other reluctantly. Loki, who now had a stupid grin on his face, gazed fondly at Darcy. Darcy just blushed and spun the bottle.

 It landed on Pepper.

“Truth!”, Pepper squeaked before Darcy could ask.

Darcy leaned forward and asked Pepper,

“How is Tony in the sack?”, a snarky grin on her face.

“Um… He’s okay.”, Pepper replied awkwardly.

Tony looked offended.

“What’s this Pepper? I’m just ‘Okay’ in bed? Because that’s  not what you were saying last night.”

Pepper rolled her eyes.

“Fine you’re amazing in bed!”

Tony smirked,

“Now _that’s_  more like it!”, as Pepper swatted him on the shoulder.

Pepper spun and it landed on me.

“Truth or Dare, Bruce?”

I weighed my options,

“Truth.”

“Are you and Natasha going to have a double wedding with Tony and I?”

My mind went blank.

“Uhhhh…..”

Natasha and I hadn’t actually sat down and discussed that yet. I glanced at Natasha who jerked her head towards the formal dining room.

“Um, I’ll get back to you in a second. You guys keep playing, have Clint take my turn and Natasha and I will talk. Okay?”

Pepper nodded as Natasha lifted herself up on her crutches. We went into the formal dining room and closed the doors behind us so we could have a bit of privacy. I turned to her. 

“Natasha, we need to make a decision and fast. Halloween is two weeks away, their wedding is New Year’s Eve, we’re running out of time to decide whether or not to be married with them. What do you think we should do?”

She placed her hand on my cheek and fixed me with her intelligent green eyes.

“I want to have a separate ceremony, that way we can look back on our lives one day and realize that we had a day where we didn’t have to share the spotlight with anyone, just a day where we were the ones at the center of attention. Besides,” She brushed that pesky curl off of my forehead gently, “I look at Tony and Pepper and I see a big, flashy, event with a ton of glitz and attention. When I think of us, I picture a more personal, quiet, and romantic event with all our friends.”

I thought for a second and decided that she was right, we didn’t have the press hounding us like Pepper and Tony always did, and I would hate for our wedding photos to end up in a bunch of tabloids worldwide. That could compromise Natasha’s identity and if the paparazzi was constantly chasing us around, the Hulk would get anxious more often and I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

I cupped her face with my hands, tipped her head upwards and kissed her slowly, putting every ounce of emotion that I had into the kiss. I wanted her to know just how much she meant to me. I broke away from her and looked into her eyes.

“Natasha, I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I’ll be here to collaborate with you on the main points of interest in this wedding, but for the most part, I’ll let you do what you want to do. Dream about your wedding day now to make up for lost times during your early years. Make your dreams come true.”

She smiled and said “Thank you.”, before asking me,

“But what about your dreams?”

I pulled her close and whispered, looking into her eyes,

“My dreams are coming true. You’re going to be my wife and you want to settle down and raise a family just as much as I do. You love me for who I am, even if it means loving the Hulk. I can’t ask for much more than you by my side as long as we both shall live.”

I kissed her softly and murmured,

“I love you, Natasha.”

I pulled her into a hug as she whispered,

“I love you too, Bruce.”

I held her until she pulled away, readjusting her crutches.

 “I think we should go in there and tell Pepper.”

I nodded, opening the doors to the living room just as Tony started his dare, by the looks of it, he had been dared by Steve to do 50 pushups.

“Pepper?”

She looked up at me and asked.

“Did you talk it over?”

“Yes we did.”

“And??”

I grabbed Natasha’s hand and squeezed for support.

“We’ve decided to have our own wedding.”

Serena jumped up and yelled, “Yes!!! I knew it!!”, as everyone but Tony, Pepper, Beth, Jane,  Natasha and myself groaned and pulled out their wallets.

Serena held out her hand and said,

“All of you had better pay up. I told you they would have their own wedding!!”

I couldn’t help but laugh as Serena triumphantly collected five dollars from everyone.

Natasha leaned over and whispered,

“I didn’t know people were betting on us, did you?”

I shook my head no and looked down at her cast, I had kept it on her for two weeks longer than I should have because I had re-studied the x-rays and noticed that it wasn’t one, single, clean break in Natasha’s ankle as I had originally thought; but many, small, hairline fractures that had been in the same area. That could take longer to heal than one single break.

I nudged Natasha’s arm before deciding to tell her my plans. She glanced over at me and raised her eyebrows, as if she were asking a question.

“Natasha, meet me in the Medical Wing, tomorrow at 1:00.”

“What for?”, she asked in confusion.

“Well, I think you’ve had _that_ ,”, I motioned towards her cast, “for far too long and I need to take it off and see how your ankle is healing.”

She smiled and kissed me as Tony spun the bottle.

“Thor, truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Is it true that you got wasted with Dr. Selvig?”

“That is the truth, Sir Stark.”

 Thor spun the bottle and it landed on me.

“Sir Bruce? Shall you choose the truth or shall you have a dare?”

“I think I’ll have a dare.”

Thor thought for a second and shrugged.

“Sir Bruce, sing us a song, any song you wish.”

The light bulb went off in my head as I glanced over at the grand piano that Phil was always accompanying Maria on.

_“I haven’t played in years, I wonder if I still remember the song I always sang and played back before my accident.”_

“Phil, would you mind?”, I asked, motioning towards the piano.

Phil shook his head.

As I sat down on the bench and my fingers slid over the ivory colored keys, the memories of the song rushed into my mind. The Hulk had nothing to say as I began to play.

_I hadn’t forgotten._

 

* * *

**Natasha POV**

Bruce chose to take Thor’s dare, to sing a song.

 I watched in a sort of trance as he got up and walked over to the sleek grand piano in the corner of the room, sat down and began to play ‘Hallelujah’ by Rufus Wainwright ( **A/N: this song was originally written and sung by Leonard Cohen** ) .

 His skilled fingers seemed to draw the notes out of the piano and his warm tenor voice made my heart flutter.

When I saw Bruce singing and playing the piano for what was most likely the first time since his accident, I was sure that this was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen or heard in all my life.

I didn’t even know he could play the piano, but I knew about how he could sing, he did it all the time in the shower. Most of the time, I would wake up in the morning and hear Bruce singing in the shower and hearing how well he could sing always made me wish that I could sing too.  

He ended the song and gazed up at all of us, blushing as he stood.

“I do believe it’s my turn to spin.”

I found my voice and said,

“Bruce. That…That was _amazing_.”, as everyone else started applauding.

“Thank you.”

He sat back down and spun the bottle. It landed on Loki, who was staring absentmindedly at Darcy.

He snapped out of his trance as Bruce asked,

“Loki, truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Okay then. Is it true that you really have a bunch of children that are animals or hybrids?”

Loki shook his head.

“No. That is all Midgardian legend and none of it is true. I have never fathered a child in my life. Odin’s horse, Sleipnir, has eight legs, but his horse is older than I am by almost a century, so the myth about me giving birth to a horse is extremely untrue.”

The grandfather clock in the hall struck eleven and we decided to turn in for the night. I waved goodnight as Clint and Serena opened up an air vent and crawled off to bed. I followed Bruce to the elevator and we rode to our floor.    

I opened the door and Bruce closed it behind us. I sat down on the bed and said,

“I didn’t know you could play the piano.”

Bruce sat down on the bed with me and said,

“Well it’s been years since I’ve played.”

“I thought you sounded amazing.”, I said, changing into my pajama pants and a plain t shirt.

“Thanks”

I brushed my teeth beside Bruce and took care of my nighttime routine before lifting up the plush comforter and sliding into bed. Bruce slid in next to me and said,

“I’m not tired just yet. How about you?”

I rolled over and shook my head.

“Do you want to just talk?”, I asked.

He nodded and I asked,

“You said you wanted to have children, how many do you want?”

He thought for a moment and said,

“Three or four at most. I don’t want things to get too crazy.”

I nodded, three or four was pretty reasonable. He asked me,

“I know you’ve gone undercover a lot of times, what was your most horrific mission?”

“Definitely the time when I went undercover as a college art student with Clint. I’ll never forget the time when I came out of my photography class just as Clint came out of his studio drawing class with a horrified look on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said, and I quote, “I didn’t know we would have to draw naked people! My eyes… what I have seen cannot be unseen!!”, I laughed at Clint, until I had to take that class.”, I shuddered at the thought.

“Wow that just sounds terrible.”, Bruce said sympathetically.

I nodded.

“When you were a kid, what was a fun thing you liked to do?”

He replied,

“Well I liked playing with my older sister. We would go play normal games with the other kids in the neighborhood.”

“Um, could you tell me more?”, I asked. Since I spent my childhood in training, I had no idea what types of normal games kids played.

“Oh, yeah. We played hide and seek, cops and robbers, tag, and just games where we would use our imaginations and be whatever we wanted.”

“It sounds amazing.”, I marveled at the thought and wondered what it would be like to play games like that.

Bruce scooted closer to me and asked,

“Do you remember anything about your parents, or even about your life, before you were taken by the Red Room?”

I nodded and spoke,

“I only remember three things. I remember that my mother had brown hair and green eyes and that my father had red hair and green eyes, I remember having a porcelain doll that was named Tatiana and she wore a yellow dress, and I remember watching my parents as they were shot.”

“I’m sorry I asked. Are you going to be okay?”, Bruce looked me in my eyes and pulled me into his embrace.

“I’ll be okay. I didn’t cry when I saw them killed, and I’m not crying about them now. You said that you had an older sister? Why aren’t we inviting her to the wedding?”

Bruce rubbed his eyes and murmured a name,

“Grace.”

* * *

**Bruce POV**

*Tears welled behind my eyes and I blinked them back as I remembered the day when I came home from school and found Grace’s suicide note sitting on the kitchen table with my mother crying beside it.

The Hulk was straining to be free of his mental prison.

Natasha noticed my expression and asked,

“Bruce, are you okay? Did I say something to upset you?”

She was only sixteen, she had her whole life ahead of her, she was the top of her class, and had a bunch of friends. I still didn’t know exactly why she did it. I nodded and wiped my eyes.

“What happened?”

I took a deep breath. I felt the Hulk struggling harder in the back of my mind.

“Grace _was_ my older sister by four years. When I was twelve, I remember coming home from school and seeing a bunch of cars around my house. I ran inside and saw my mom sitting at the kitchen table, crying her eyes out. There was a note laying open on the table and I read it. Grace had hung herself and she said in her note that she didn’t want to live anymore. No reason other than that. I was crushed. She had been one of the only people I could talk to and then she was gone, just like that.” *  

Natasha handed me a box of tissues because I was actually crying now.

_Keep it together, Bruce!_

The Hulk was getting more and more restless as a wave of bad memories came flooding back. My breathing got heavier and Natasha placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Bruce! You have to fight this! Try to stay calm!”

_I would not let the Hulk take over!_

 The Hulk roared from his mental prison, cutting away at my self-control.

“Bruce!”, Natasha cried, her voice edged in fear.

I looked at her before choking out,

“I’m so sorry…”

 She said,

“We have to get you to the unit! Now! You’re starting to turn!” She pushed herself out of bed, didn’t bother with her crutches, and pulled me out of bed, supporting me as she awkwardly dragged me to the unit.

I couldn’t fight it.

_All that I had lost, all those bad memories._

_Grace, Mom, all the innocent people I had killed, the miscarriage._

_Dad beating me up after he came home from the bar._

_Grace’s suicide note._

All of those thoughts, surging through my veins like poison.

Natasha pushed me into the unit and locked the door behind me.

 I was safe now.

I felt myself expanding, the roaring in my head growing louder, my vision turning green.

“HULK SMASH!!!”

 ~blackout~

“Bruce, can you hear me?”, Natasha’s voice sounded so distant.

I felt Natasha’s delicate hands lift my head onto what felt like her lap. She placed one hand on my cheek as she ran her other hand through my hair. I opened my eyes as she called my name again.

“Bruce?”

 I opened my eyes and looked up at Natasha who was leaning over me with a concerned look on her face.

“How long was I out for?”

“I dragged you in here at about midnight and its,” she glanced at her watch, “about four am now.”

I went to sit up but she placed a hand on my chest and pushed me back down gently.

“Take it easy there.”

I leaned back onto her lap and  she continued to run her fingers through my hair.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No.”

“Did I scare you?”

“A bit, but I’m over it.”

Well at least my mind was put at ease for now. I might as well talk while I’m calm and to get my mind away from the bad memories I had. 

“Natasha?”

“Hmm?”

“What month do you want to be married in?”

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I want to be married on the Spring Equinox, to symbolize a new beginning.”

I shrugged.

“That’s actually not such a bad idea. You, my dear, are actually a very poetic person.”

She raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“I am?”

“Yes.”

“How so?”

“Everything about the wedding symbolizes something different.”

She thought as I sat up slowly, stretching my aching muscles.

“Hmm I never thought of myself as ‘poetic’, but I suppose everyone has a personality trait that they can’t see, yet it’s obvious to everyone else.”

I stood up, silently thanking the Hulk for never shredding my pants when I was around my teammates. We walked back to bed and I didn’t bother changing, I just tumbled into bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I woke up the next morning and went about my business.

I let Bruce sleep, he had a rough night and needed his rest.

I had an early meeting at SHIELD and I would be getting a ride from Maria and Phil.

 I glanced at Bruce and wrote him a note, placing it under his glasses on his nightstand before kissing him on the forehead and leaving.

In the car ride over to SHIELD HQ, Maria told me that as soon as I was done my physical therapy, I could get sent out on missions.

I looked at Maria and Phil as they held hands in the front seat. Those two were perfect for each other. I realized that they had been together since the winter before the battle of New York. When Phil told me about his relationship with the cellist, I didn’t think twice about who he was seeing.

When Phil had been stabbed by Loki and ‘died’, I felt sorry for the cellist who had moved back to Portland, whoever she was.

 Maria had told me after the battle that she was being transferred to SHIELD’s West Coast HQ in Portland and needed a bit of help with cleaning out her apartment.

I figured out that Maria was Phil’s girlfriend when I saw her putting a cello in the back seat of her truck.

 Then I realized how perfect they were for each other.

When we found out that Phil had survived and that Fury had lied, the look of anger on Maria’s face was enough to kill, but the look of relief on her face when she saw Phil for the first time since his ‘death’ was absolutely priceless.

When Phil proposed a week later, I not only won $20 in a bet against Fury, I was happy for the couple.

“We’re here.”, said Phil, snapping me out of my thoughts.

**Several hours later…**

My meetings had gone well and I was taking a taxi back to the tower. I glanced at my watch. 12:45. I hoped I wouldn’t be late for my own cast removal.

The cab driver pulled over in front of the tower, I paid him and ran inside as fast as I could on crutches. Happy nodded to me as I came in and I showed him my ID badge, getting on the elevator and taking it up to the 100th floor.

When the elevator doors opened, Bruce came walking out of a room, dressed in his favorite purple button up shirt, khakis, sneakers, and his pristine white lab coat with his name stitched onto the left pocket. 

“Good afternoon, Natasha. I got your note, how did the meetings go?”

He led me into a room and I got up on the bed, rolling up the leg of my jeans.

“They were boring as usual.”

He started up the cast cutting saw and began to cut the cast off of my right ankle before powering the saw down and prying the cast open.

I couldn’t help but mentally cry, “Freedom!!”, as the cast was tossed in the trash with a resounding thud.

“You know,” Bruce looked at me, “after last night, I realized that bad memories should stay in the past, but that we shouldn’t deny that those events took place. Like when I put those crutches back in the closet, they may be symbolic of a bad memory, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about using them completely.”

I tilted my head to one side.

“You’re starting to sound like me.”

He laughed,

“What?”

“You said that I was a poetic person last night. You’re starting to sound a little like me with the ‘bad memories and crutches’ analogy ”

“Oh”

Bruce carried me into the x-ray room and took a few shots of my ankle, gave me an ankle brace (one that I didn’t have to use crutches with), and took my crutches away.

He smiled at me as I walked around without the crutches.

“Feeling better sweetheart?”

“Yes I am.”, I hugged him and he said,

“C’mon, Halloween is in two weeks and we need to go find costumes before all the good ones get cleaned out.”    

I laughed softly and nodded as we left the hospital wing hand in hand, leaving the bad memories where they should always stay; behind us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me how I'm doing! Leave a comment, Bookmark, subscribe, and give me some Kudos! I can't improve unless I have your feedback.


	12. Familiar Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At a Halloween party, Natasha finds herself feeling ill.  
> Is it the flu or something that Natasha has felt before?

**Bruce POV**

I woke up in the middle of the night with Natasha poking me in the arm.

“Bruce!”, she whispered intensely.

“Hmm, what’s going on?”, I replied groggily. 

 She sighed,

“You stole the comforter again and I’m freezing over here!”

“Whoops.”

I pulled the edge of the comforter up for her to crawl under and she snuggled close to me. 

I wrapped her up in my arms and she kissed me softly, yawning as she whispered goodnight. 

I soon drifted off to sleep.

I woke up as the alarm went off, rolling over and turning it off, grabbing my glasses and nudging Natasha, who was still sleeping, bundled up in the plush comforter. 

I kissed her on the cheek and nudged her again.

“Nat, wake up.”

She opened her eyes and yawned, before sitting up and saying,

“Morning Bruce.”

I was about to ask her how she slept when Jarvis came over the intercom and said,

“Mr. Stark wants to see all of you in the living room in exactly one hour.”

Natasha groaned, 

“Five more minutes… m' still sleepy...”, and fell back on the covers with a smirk on her face. “Bruce?”

“Yes?”

“Happy Halloween.” 

I smiled and got out of bed.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I rolled out of bed reluctantly and wrote in my diary as Bruce did his morning routine, coming out with wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist. I went in, did my routine and came out, and threw open the doors to my gigantic walk in closet (Tony had made sure that every room had two walk in closets when he rebuilt the tower).

I pulled on my underwear, a pair of skinny jeans, a long sleeved black and orange V- neck shirt and a pair of ballet flats before running out and taking Bruce’s arm as we left the room. 

When the elevator doors opened, my jaw dropped as I glanced around the living room.

Fake spider webs were strung up everywhere, complete with little robotic spiders that would skitter around in their webs. 

Jack o lanterns were placed around the room. 

The labels on all the bottles behind the bar had been covered by labels that read things like ‘Witch’s Brew’ and ‘Eye of Newt’. 

The wall of windows had been covered with deep red velvet curtains. 

The normal furniture was replaced with antiques covered in sheets and candles were everywhere.

There was even a cauldron hanging on a wrought iron rack in the fireplace 

Tony had really gone all out with his decorating. 

I looked at Bruce who was amazed.

The elevator opened behind us and Loki walked out with Darcy on his arm, glancing around at the scene in amazement as Darcy voiced all of our thoughts,

“Wow, Tony takes his holidays seriously.”

Loki raised his eyebrows and looked at Darcy.

“This change in interior design is symbolic of a Midgardian holiday?”

“Yeah, its Halloween, which means that people decorate their houses, carve jack o lanterns, dress up in costumes and the kids go Trick or Treating with their parents or friends while people our age go to parties.”, Darcy explained.

“Do all mortals celebrate this holiday?”     

“Most of them do, but others don’t because it’s against their beliefs.”

“I see…will we be dressing up?”, Loki asked as he walked around the room and examined a Jack O' Lantern. 

Darcy nodded at her boyfriend.

“Our costumes arrived in the mail yesterday.” 

Everyone else came down and marveled at Tony’s decorating. 

Then Tony and Pepper strolled out of the elevator in costumes. 

Tony was dressed as a gothic vampire: fangs, red contacts and all, while Pepper was dressed as his female counterpart. 

I nodded in amazement and nudged Bruce who murmured,

“I’m glad I didn’t decide to be a vampire this year.”

Tony made a gesture to all of us and spoke in a pretty decent Transylvanian accent,

“Good morning everyone! Happy Halloween! As you know, SHIELD will be hosting their annual ball here tonight, I took the liberty of  decorating the tower!”

“We will spend the day doing what we usually do until noon, then we will go and get ready for the ball which starts at seven. Remember that tonight’s ball will include a costume contest, so may the best disguise win!”, Pepper announced.

I ate a bowl of oatmeal and headed to the shooting ranges with Bruce in tow.

He may be the Hulk but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be taught how to shoot.

I put a pistol in his hands, taught him how to take aim and he shot his first bull’s eye in less time than I thought he would take. We gradually worked our way up to the bigger guns, which he had a bit of trouble taking aim with, but he was shooting like a well-taught junior agent in no time and actually having fun. 

“Natasha! Hey,”, Bruce called, holding up his target, “ Ten for ten at long range! Not too shabby for my first time, huh?” 

I shook my head,

“You know, you’re actually a really good marksman, especially since this is your first time on the ranges.” I quirked an eyebrow at him, “Are you _sure_ that this is your first time out here?”

He nodded to me as Serena and Clint kicked open the grate for the air vent behind me. Clint got to his feet and offered his hand to Serena, who took it and pulled herself up.

“Hey partner!”, Clint greeted me with a quick hug, “Teaching the good doctor how to shoot?”

“Yeah and he’s giving Agent Lewis Winslow a run for his money.”

“That guy from tracking?”, asked Serena, pulling out her throwing knives and beginning to sharpen them.

“Yeah, you sat next to him last week at a meeting. He got you your coffee.”

“Oh _that_ guy!! I remember him!! He helped me hide those lizards in Maria Hill’s desk last April Fool’s day!!”, said Clint, nocking a practice arrow and firing. 

Bruce looked up at me and asked,

“Wasn’t he the one that tracked down the Ripper?”

“The very same.” I said, taking aim and firing. “Is he coming to the ball tonight?”

   “He should be.”, Clint said, “He said that he and Agent Harford would be carpooling with Agents Victoria Snow and Tabitha Baron. You remember them, Natasha? They were the only two women in the class of fifty men that one year that we had to train the new recruits.”

I nodded as I remembered the two agents from logistics.

“They were also the only two that didn’t end up being broken after mental torture.”

Serena asked,

“Don’t the four of them live together?”

Clint shrugged,

“I think they share an apartment. They’re roommates and best friends. If you wanted to find out anything more than that, well,” He chuckled, “You’d have to ask a SHIELD medic.” 

We shot in silence for another hour and a half until Serena’s digital watch beeped.

“That’s  noon, we’ve got to get ready for the ball. But honestly, who takes almost seven hours to get into a costume?”

Bruce shrugged,

“I think it’s supposed to give the women time to get their hair and nails done. I know I spend most of the time trying to tame these curls of mine.” 

Serena looked up,

“Ever tried a perm?”

Bruce wrinkled his nose, 

“I never wanted anything _too_ permanent, besides, the chemicals kill your roots.”

Serena nodded.

“I know I have to constantly change my hairstyle because of my hair type, it gets frizzy if I don’t do something to it.”, Serena gestured towards her short hair, “I read it in a magazine that short hairstyles for black women were very elegant and easy to maintain. That’s why I got my hair cut short. Besides, Nat remembers when I started at SHIELD, how I had those long dreadlocks?”

I nodded, 

“Yeah and how you cut them off the week you got here because one of your sparring partners ripped a few out of your head.” 

Serena cringed and nodded as Clint came over and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“It’s time to get ready.”

Serena opened up the air vent and crawled in, Clint replaced the grate and yelled, “See you at the ball!”, before crawling away.

Bruce put his gun away and said, 

“Do those two just have something against taking the stairs?”

I shrugged. In all my years working with Clint, I never questioned him once about how he was always crawling through air vents.

Bruce and I left the shooting ranges and went to the elevator and waited.

When the doors finally opened, we cleared our throats awkwardly because Loki had Darcy up against the wall in the elevator and was kissing her passionately.

The blushing demigod broke away from his mortal girlfriend and all of us stood there in silence as we rode to our respective floors.

When Bruce and I got off the elevator and the door to our apartment had closed behind us, Bruce said,

“Well that _wasn’t_ awkward at all.”

* * *

**Bruce POV**

“Are you almost ready to go? Tony will throw a fit if we’re anything but punctual.”, Natasha called from the bedroom. 

“I’m coming.”, I called from the bathroom as I looked myself in the mirror and ran a hand through my hair one more time before putting in my contact lenses and adjusting my helmet. I walked out and found Natasha sitting on the bed.

“Well you look nice _Mark Antony_.”, she said, eyeing me up in my Roman general costume.

Natasha was dressed as Cleopatra and she looked positively stunning, even if she was wearing a wig and a bunch of Egyptian looking costume jewelry.

“And you look as beautiful as ever, _my Queen_.”, I held out my arm to her and she took it. We walked down the hall to the elevator and we got on. Natasha turned to me and adjusted the fringe on my helmet before planting a kiss on my lips.

The doors slid open and we looked out over a sea of colors and costumes. I saw Steve and Beth twirling on the dance floor.  Beth was dressed up like a princess and Steve was dressed as her prince. Natasha noticed them too and said,

“Beth looks just like Princess Aurora and Steve looks like Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty! They make the cutest couple in the world, don’t they?”

I leaned over and whispered in her ear,

“You mean _second_ cutest right?”

She smirked and nodded. 

I saw Clint and Serena at the bar and they greeted us with a smile and a wave.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that Clint actually dressed up like Robin Hood! Tony will _never_ let him live this down! Serena makes a beautiful Maid Marian though, doesn’t she?”, Natasha laughed from my side.

“DEAR FRIENDS!!!”, Thor bellowed from behind us, causing us to jump.

We spun around and saw Thor dressed up like a warlock of some kind with Jane beside him dressed as a stylish witch. Thor carried Liz and Ed in a ‘two peas in a pod’ costume and both of the seven month old babies were sleeping soundly despite the party atmosphere.  

Jane was looking beyond us with a look of wonder on her face, I turned around and saw Loki dressed as a cowboy and Darcy dressed as a saloon girl at the bar taking shots. 

“There’s a ton of competition for this ‘Best Costume Contest’, but I think we wear ours the best.” Said someone from behind me.

I turned and came face to face with Phil, Maria, and Fury who were all dressed as pirates.

“Wow.”, was all Natasha could say.

We socialized for a while and then I asked Natasha to dance as a slow song started. 

I led her out onto the floor and pulled her close to me as we swayed in the dim light. 

“Bruce?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been feeling a bit _off_  lately. I’m going to get fitted for my maid of honor’s dress soon and then my wedding gown shortly thereafter. I just have this strange feeling inside of me and I have no clue what it is.”

“Could you describe the feeling?”

“Jittery and elated yet I keep getting this feeling like something big is about to happen and I have no idea what it is. The sensation is familiar but I can’t place it.”

I  thought. It could just be a case of nerves, but Natasha didn’t get nervous too often. 

“Did you have anything to drink tonight?”

“Yeah I had a glass of red wine.”

“Maybe you’re getting sick,” I noted, “you are looking a bit green in the face.”, I touched her forehead, “No wonder you’re not feeling well, you’re burning up!”

A split second after those words left my mouth, Natasha said,

“I don’t feel so well!”, and ran for the bathroom.

I followed her to the bathroom door and heard her retching from the other side. Too bad it was the ladies room, otherwise I would’ve rushed in and comforted her. I stood there for what felt like an eternity until Natasha finally stumbled out, looking paler than ever and I asked her if she wanted to go sit down. She nodded. I didn’t want to suggest leaving just yet. I checked my watch. 10:00. They should be giving out the awards soon.

“Attention, please.”, Fury stood up with a microphone and  began to hand out the awards.

“The Funniest Costume Award goes to Agents Winslow, Harford, Snow, Baron, Green, and Sitwell for their team costume: The Six Pack of Beer!”, Six agents rushed forward in beer bottle costumes carrying a huge cardboard ‘package’ around them to collect their prize.

“The next award goes to the best couple’s costume. Our runner ups are Agents Barton and Atwell with ‘Robin Hood and Maid Marian’. Our third place goes to Steve Rogers and Beth Covington with their ‘Sleeping Beauty’ costumes. Second place goes to Dr. Bruce Banner and Agent Romanoff: ‘Mark Antony and Cleopatra’. And our first place goes to… Edward and Elizabeth Odinson for ‘Two Peas in a Pod’.

Natasha patted my hand and I accepted the prize from Fury. 

I picked up Natasha bridal style and carried her to the elevator. We left the party and went back to our floor. As I carried her through the door and sat her gently on the bed, she bolted for the bathroom, threw off her wig, and made it to the toilet just in time. I came in, sat beside her, held her hair and rubbed her back as she got it out of her system.

“Natasha, we have to get you in bed.”. I said, switching into doctor mode. 

She nodded and I helped her to her feet. She got cleaned up as I helped her take off her costume and put on a comfy pair of flannel pants and one of my t shirts. She crawled into bed and I took her temperature. 

“How bad is it Doc?”

“You’ve got every sign of the flu.”

“But we got vaccinated.”

“Sometimes the virus used in the vaccine isn’t completely dead and your white blood cells can’t act as quickly as we would like.”

I got her some medicine and gave it to her.

 “Bruce, could you ask Jane to run to the store for me tomorrow?”

I nodded.

“What should I ask her to get you?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just feminine hygiene products, since I know guys aren’t the best people to send out on shopping trips like that. I remember one time four years ago when I was sick, I had to get Clint to buy me some stuff and he jumped out a window. I had to get Maria to buy me the stuff.”

I laughed and shook my head.

“Time to get some sleep now sweetheart.”, I leaned forward and kissed her on her warm forehead, “I love you.”

I went to get changed and when I came back, Natasha was curled up in a ball, sleeping in a nest of blankets and pillows.  

I opened a drawer beneath the bed and pulled out a blanket and a pillow to make myself comfy on the sofa. I drifted off to sleep in no time.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

**The Next Morning…**

 I woke up to someone poking my shoulder.

“Natasha. It’s me, Jane. I got those _products_ you wanted. Bruce left to get some lab work done, he said he’d be back in a couple hours.”

I rolled over and slid my bunny slippers onto my feet. Jane held out the bag of products to me and I mumbled a groggy “Thank you”, before taking the bag and walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

Last night, I told Bruce that I had a familiar sensation. I had lied when I said I couldn’t place it. 

The last time I had felt like this was the day I found out I was pregnant.

 I opened the bag and pulled out a pregnancy test kit.

_“Here goes nothing”,_ I thought to myself as I took the test.  

I washed my hands and cleaned myself up, setting the timer on my phone so that it would go off when the test was done. I took another dose of fever reducer and sat on the edge of the tub, waiting in silence as the test was completed.

What would I do if I _was_ pregnant? What if I miscarried again? I don’t think I could bear it if I lost another baby. What if I wasn’t pregnant? Would I tell Bruce? 

I looked at my phone as it beeped. Then I took a deep breath and got up off the edge of the tub.

I reached out and picked up the strip.

A little plus sign stared me in the face.

Positive.

I knew that the sensation was familiar.

I looked at the diamond ring on the fourth finger of my left hand. Bruce would have to know eventually. 

I just had to tell him the right way. 


	13. By Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha tells Bruce the great news.

**Natasha POV**

How was I going to do this? I can’t do this. Not now.

My nerves were getting to me as I splashed cool water on my face, trying to calm down and keep myself from hyperventilating.

It’s alright, I’m okay. Bruce will love me anyway.

“Natasha? I knocked this journal off your desk, I… oh my god, are these your vows?”

I forgot Jane was here.

I bolted out of the bathroom and found the astrophysicist sitting on the edge of the bed, reading my crappy, screwed up, attempts at writing my own wedding vows.

I’m an assassin, not an English major, so I already know that they sucked, but the last thing I wanted was for Jane to think I’m a total idiot who can’t compose some simple vows.

Jane looked like she was going to cry.

“Jesus Christ, I knew I was bad at writing…I didn’t know they were _that_ -”

“These are perfect.”, she murmured.

I stared at her dubiously.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Your vows are perfect!”

I rolled my eyes and snatched the vows away.

“Pfft, as if.”

“Natasha?”

“Hmm?”

“The test results?”

“Oh.”

Jane looked at me, eyes wide.

“Well? What are you?”

I sat down on the floor and put my head in my hands.

“I’m pregnant again.”

“Aw Congratulations!! So how will you let Bruce know?”

I picked my head up and got up off the floor, putting on my plush bathrobe and bunny slippers, I said,

“Fuck it. I’m marching right into that lab and telling him!”

I put the test strip in a plastic baggie and walked out the door.

_“Please, please, please don’t faint this time!!!”_

* * *

**Bruce POV**

“Tony? According to these algorithms and equations, your chemicals will spontaneously combust.”

Tony looked up at me and glanced over at said chemicals with a cautious look on his face.

“I suppose I should spontaneously dispose of them then.”, He said, putting on his Iron Man suit so he would be protected in case they did combust and taking the chemicals to the disposal area.

I went back to my work; I had given up on finding a ‘cure’ for the Hulk and now I was working on writing wedding vows.

I was a physicist, not Shakespeare; so this was extremely difficult for me to do.

I just wanted Natasha to look back on our wedding day and recall the words I had spoken to her.

I jumped as I felt a pair of slender arms wrap around my waist unexpectedly, and I slammed my journal shut as Natasha hugged me.

I didn’t want to show her my failed attempts at writing vows.

I turned around and asked sternly, slipping into my doctor mode again,

“Natasha? What are you doing out of bed? I thought you would know better than to go walking about while you’re sick.”

She gave me the ‘puppy dog eyes’ and I melted as she said,

“I had to see you. I have to tell you a few things.”

I held both of her hands as she sat down on a lab stool.

“What’s going on sweetheart?”

“Well…”, She looked at me with an face that showed her excitement about something, “ I wanted to tell you that I love you and that you fully deserve all the best things in the world.”

I nodded as she reached into her bathrobe pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie with a strip inside.

“I just hope that this can come pretty close.”

She said, smiling, as she handed me the bag.

I noticed there was a small plus sign on the strip.

It was a _pregnancy_ test strip.

A _positive_ one too.

My pulse raced as I sat down in the desk chair behind me.

My mind went blank and I pulled my glasses off and tossed them aside.

“Bruce, I think I’m pregnant again!”, She exclaimed.

The wave of emotion hit me like a ton of bricks.

I didn’t faint or feel sorry for myself this time.

I wanted this as much as she did.

The Hulk said, “BABY MINE, HULK PROTECT BABY AND NATASHA.”, it was good to finally agree on something with the Hulk.

I felt tears of joy welling behind my eyes as I laughed and stood. I grabbed Natasha around her waist, picked her up and spun her around as I exclaimed,

“I’m gonna be a father!”

I sat her on her feet and pulled her into a hug as my tears of joy started to flow freely.

_Mom? Grace? Wherever you are, I hope you can see how happy I am._

“Bruce?”

I looked at her as she gently brushed away my tears with her thumb.

“I’ll have to go see Dr. H. soon, to make sure everything is going well. I swear that this baby will be alright.”

I pulled Natasha close again and stroked her silky red hair. It had grown since the battle of New York and was past her shoulders now. I hoped our baby would be as beautiful as her and as smart as I was.

“I love you, Natasha.”

“I love you too.”

The door to the lab opened.

“Hello Natasha, glad to see you up and about so soon.”, said Tony, walking in in his suit with Pepper on his arm.

He noticed us embracing and asked,

“Are we interrupting something?”

I looked down at Natasha and she nodded as if to say, _“Tell them.”._

“Well, Natasha has just told me that she’s pregnant again.”

Pepper squealed and ran over to give us a hug, but remembered how Natasha was sick and stopped in her tracks, celebrating from a safe distance. Tony put his suit away and congratulated us. Natasha started coughing violently and I walked her out of the lab and into the elevator.

While we were in the elevator, I couldn’t hide my smile. Natasha’s stomach growled and she giggled,

“I guess our little one has an appetite already.”

I looked at her as she patted her abdomen and murmured at the tiny being growing inside her,

“You’re a fighter, just like me. I know it. You will survive no matter what odds are set against you. You’ll be smart just like your daddy and just as kind as him too.”, She looked up at me and smiled,

“I’m so happy right now, how about you?”

I nodded,

“I never even thought that I could have children or even have the opportunity to try because of the Hulk. It’s good to be proven wrong though.”

Another fit of coughing overcame her and we got off the elevator,

“Bruce can you bring me some chicken noodle soup and Gatorade?”, Natasha asked me as she settled back under the covers in the bed.

I nodded to her as I brought her some cough syrup. She wrinkled her nose up at it but knocked it back and shuddered. I kissed her forehead as she turned on the TV and began watching ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ . I went to leave and she called from the bed,

“Bruce?”

I turned.

“Hmm?”

She smiled and patted her abdomen.

“Nothing. I’m just excited and a little scared.”

I nodded, and left to get her food.

I was heating up some soup on the stove when Loki walked in and poured himself a cup of coffee. I was starting to get accustomed to Loki being on the team, he really wasn’t all that terrible of a person once you sat down and understood why he was so jealous of Thor.

Loki told me a while ago while he was jogging on the treadmill next to me in the gym that he grew up in Thor's shadow and was an outcast on Asgard.

He wasn't strong, tanned or burly like other Aesir men were supposed to be. When he grew up he was a 'Momma's Boy'. Frigga taught him how to use magic to give him something to be good at, something to be proud of, something that Thor didn't understand.

 He told me that, on Asgard, men were supposed to be bold warriors who were strong, willing to rush straight into battle, and to die a warrior's death. The women were the ones who learned magic and stayed by their mothers, so Loki was bullied and considered the weakling son who couldn't stand up for himself. That was what led to Loki being the prankster. If he heard someone talking about him, he would conjure up a serpent in their bed or turn their ale into vinegar.       

 I was no psychiatrist, but Loki seemed to have problems with an inferiority complex of some kind. I could understand why he was driven to destroy Thor like that though, his entire life had been a lie, he was bullied, pushed aside, left out, and Odin had basically used him as a bargaining piece.

Loki had seen the error of his ways and was trying to right the wrong.

“Good morning Dr. Banner, I trust you had a pleasant night’s rest?”, he greeted cordially, still dressed in green plaid pajama pants and a black t-shirt.

I nodded,

“Yeah, I had to sleep on the sofa, Natasha has the flu.”

Loki patted me on the shoulder.

“Tell her that I send her my best in the hopes that she recovers quickly.”

The demigod turned to leave and added almost as an afterthought,

“And, Dr. Banner,” he turned around and faced me, raising his coffee cup slightly, “Congratulations.”

“How did you know?”, I asked,

“Pepper told Jane and she said she already knew, she then told Thor, who told Steve and Beth, who then told Darcy, who told me.”

“So Clint, Serena, Maria, Phil, and Fury are the only ones who don’t know?”

The demigod shrugged.

“I suppose so, but they probably know by now, after all... oh, what is that phrase you use... 'Good news travels fast'?”

I nodded and he left the room.

I pulled a tray out of a cupboard and placed Natasha’s food on it, carrying it out of the kitchen and down to the room. As I came in the door, Natasha saw the food and said,

“Oh my gosh, thank you so, so much. I swear, you are heaven-sent Bruce!”

She began to wolf down her food, not that I blamed her, being sick takes a lot out of a person.  

“Honey?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you grab me my hoodie out of my closet?”

I got up off the bed and walked over to her closet.

I walked in and was met with wall to wall racks of dresses, pants, shirts, skirts, and what seemed to be over a hundred pairs of shoes.

How the hell was I supposed to find a hoodie in this jungle?

“Natasha? Uh…could I get some more accurate directions here?”

“You see the set of drawers at the very back of the closet? It’s in the second drawer from the bottom.”

I quickly found the drawer, opened it up and saw a bunch of my clothes that I’ve let Natasha ‘borrow’. I noticed my purple dress shirt, my old lab coat, a few of my t shirts, and my gray hoodie. I also saw a photo album and I opened it up, careful not to make too much noise.

I soon found myself in tears when I saw the photos inside.

There were photos of us from when she was pregnant the first time, I was kneeling down and kissing her baby bump, in Hawaii when we got off the plane, laying on the beach, going wakeboarding, walking through Central Park, a photo of her engagement ring; all those happy memories. Jarvis must’ve taken most of the photos around the tower and then she probably had Tony or Clint take photos in Hawaii or Central Park. She had pressed a single, dried, lavender rose between wax paper, and saved it in one of the pages.

“Bruce? Did you find the hoodie?”

Natasha’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I closed the photo album and wiped away a stray tear before replying.  

“The gray hoodie?”

“Yeah!”

I grabbed the hoodie and gave it to her. Natasha put it on and looked up at me,

“Your eyes… they’re red. What happened? Did the glade air freshener go off in your face?”

I shook my head no and sat down on the mattress. Natasha took my hand and rubbed her thumb over the back of it.

“What happened?”, she asked.

“I saw your album.”

A look of surprise crossed her face as she stopped stroking my hand abruptly.

“You what?”

I sensed her embarrassment and instantly felt guilty for rummaging through her personal belongings.

“Natasha, I’m sorry. That was rude of me, I shouldn’t have -”

“Bruce. I’m fine. I was going to use those photos in a slideshow for our wedding. I wanted them to be a surprise. But I can always take more when you least expect it.”, she said with a wink.

I leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Are you feeling any better?”

She tousled her red waves and yawned.

“I think I’ll have a nap and then see how I feel. You don’t have to stay by me if you don’t want to.”

I shifted as she rebuilt her nest of blankets and pillows around herself. I remembered my book of failed attempts at vow composition and decided to work on that in the lab.

“Actually, I have some things to take care of in the lab, so I’ll just take care of them. Remember, Jarvis is here in case you need to contact me.”

I draped the comforter over her shoulders and kissed her as she nodded off.

“Sleep well, Natasha.”

**In the lab…**

“Bruce? Whatcha doing?”

I was hunched over my journal and my case was turning into a hopeless cause as I kept writing and scratching out what I had composed, deeming it as a failure.

“Wedding vows.”

“Ah. Pepper and I are going by the book. I may be an atheist, but Pepper was raised catholic and her family would flip out if we didn’t have a catholic wedding. I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with my in-laws.”

“I see.”

“So Bruce, what have you written so far?”

I shrugged,

“Nothing much. I’m not good at this sort of thing. I never was.”

Tony came over, holding out his hand to take my journal.

“Let me take a look, I’ll be the judge of whether or not what you’re writing is truly a failure.”

I reluctantly handed him my journal and he opened it up to the first page, looking over what I had written, his eyes growing wider with every word he read.

“Bruce…”

I looked away. I was so humiliated that I actually thought those vows sounded okay. Who was I kidding…

“These vows are _incredible_!”, Tony exclaimed.

I spun around.

“What?”

The billionaire gestured wildly to my book and said,

“These vows are incredible!! I couldn’t have done better myself!!”

“Really? I thought they sucked.”

Tony threw up his hands in exasperation.

“Bruce! You are such a gifted writer!! I swear to you that if Natasha heard these, she would immediately fall in love with you all over again.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

I rushed upstairs to share my wedding vow ideas with Natasha, just as she was on her way to tell me hers.

We ended up sitting down and deciding to combine our ideas.

The result was nothing short of beautiful.

~ _The Vows~_

_Natasha’s:_

_In the presence of God,_

_I, Natasha,_

_Will have you Bruce,_

_The love of my life,_

_To be the husband of my days,_

_The friend of my life,_

_My partner to share whatever life may bring us,_

_Whether it be trouble or sorrow,_

_Goodness or joyfulness,_

_We shall face it together as one._

_With these words, and all the words of my heart,_

_I marry you and join my life to yours._

_Bruce’s:_

_In the presence of God,_

_I, Bruce,_

_Will have you Natasha,_

_The love of my life,_

_To be the wife of my days,_

_The friend of my life,_

_My partner to share whatever life may bring us,_

_Whether it be trouble or sorrow,_

_Goodness or joyfulness,_

_We shall face it together as one._

_With these words, and all the words of my heart,_

_I marry you and join my life to yours._


	14. November Winds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new season is a herald for change.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

One week after I found out I was pregnant, I was doing my normal workout routine in the gym with Steve. We were currently running on the treadmills but I could tell that Steve was off his game.

 _Way_ off his game.

He had let me take him out in a sparring match in no time, which was expected since he still wasn’t 100% comfortable with the idea of fighting a woman (and even less comfortable with the idea of fighting a pregnant woman), even if it was just practicing hand-to-hand combat and we weren't doing any sort of throwing or kicking. The only time I noticed that he was off his game was when he spaced out during curl ups and just laid there for a minute, staring at the ceiling before continuing.

Now he was dead quiet as we ran.

This was very odd of him because he’s usually asking me about history and modern terminology, trying to get caught up on what he missed.

It was strange and so I asked him,

“Steve, what’s up with you today? You’re not usually this quiet during a workout.”

The super soldier snapped out of his thoughts and said,

“I’m sorry Natasha, I just have a lot of things weighing on my mind.”

“Do you mind sharing your thoughts?”

He shook his head.

“I don’t mind at all. In fact, you may be able to help me.”

I turned off my treadmill and got off and he did the same.

I handed him a towel and his water as I pulled my shoes off and rolled out my yoga mat.

I had been teaching him how to do yoga as a way to stretch and also because it's a nonviolent method of stress relief. He's been picking up on it very well and has even begun to do it after every mission.

“Well I’m listening.”, I said as Steve rolled his mat out so that we were facing each other and began the Sun Salutation.

“Okay, I’ve been going steady with Beth for almost a year and a half now and we’ve been getting pretty serious. At the Halloween ball, Beth commented on how happy you, Jane, Pepper, and Maria must be.”

I quirked an eyebrow.

“What did she mean by that?”

“She meant that all of you must be really happy to have found your other half... and, well, I've been thinking about proposing to her for quite some time...”, he said with a nervous smile.

“Oh, so you’re not sure how to propose to her?”

Steve nodded.

“I’ve seen proposals before, but what if she says no?”

I sat down on my mat and motioned for him to sit.

“Steve, do you love Beth?”

He nodded.

“With all my heart.”

“And she loves you?”

“She tells me every day.”

I patted his hand.

“Then there shouldn’t be a reason for her to say no.”

Steve smiled at me and asked,

“How did Bruce propose?”

I told him the story and he nodded through the whole recap.

“Do you think I should do it in private or in public?”

I shrugged.

“That’s up to you.”

We rolled up our mats and headed for the locker rooms.

“Natasha?”, he called before I went in the women’s locker room.

I turned to face him.

“Yes?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing.

“Thanks for the advice and…um, this is really none of my business, but…are you scared?”

“Of what?”

“Losing the baby again.”, he gestured toward my abdomen.

I tensed up as I remembered how helpless I felt after miscarrying. I responded in a shaky voice, averting my gaze so he couldn’t see my tears.

“Always.”

I didn’t hide my tears well enough and Steve was by my side in a heartbeat, hugging me as I cried freely into his shirt.

“I shouldn’t have asked, it was a rude and inconsiderate thing to do. I’m sorry.”

I dried my eyes and sniffled, pulling away from him.

“It’s okay. Thanks for the hug.”

“No problem, it’s what family is there for.” , he smiled as he walked away.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

Natasha and I bundled up before heading out to Dr. Hiddleston’s office. As we drove out of the garage, I noticed that Natasha had her face screwed up in concentration.

“What’s wrong?”, I asked.

“Nothing, I was just doing some math, trying to figure something out.”

“What were you trying to figure out?”

“How big my stomach will be in March so I know how big my wedding gown will have to be.”

I nodded.

“When are you and the girls getting fitted for your bridesmaids gowns? The guys are going to the tailor this afternoon.”

“We’re going out at the same time.”

We parked and went up to Dr. Hiddleston’s practice where we didn’t have to wait very long to be shown into his office. We sat down as he came into the office with Natasha’s file in hand.

“Hello Dr. and Mrs. Banner, how have you been?”

“We aren’t married yet. The wedding is in March.”, Natasha corrected.

“Ah, my mistake.”, he said, sitting down and opening her file. “How have you been since…September?”

“I skipped my period last month. I was showing signs of pregnancy and I took a home test and it came back as positive. I don’t know how accurate those tests are though. I’ve been moody but there hasn’t been any morning sickness yet. I had a small bought of the flu a week ago, but it was gone in a few days. I was also vaccinated the day of my last visit.”

Dr. Hiddleston spoke as he took notes.

“Those tests are surprisingly accurate. The flu shouldn’t affect the growth or health of the fetus, nor should the vaccine. It’s possible that you may not have any morning sickness this time. You don’t have to do a CVS test this time do you?”, he asked, looking up at us.

“No.”, Natasha smiled at me and laced her fingers with mine, “This time we know for sure who the father is.”

Dr. Hiddleston smiled warmly and stood up.

“Then there are no questions, comments, or concerns?”

I cleared my throat.

“What are Natasha’s chances of having another miscarriage?”

Dr. Hiddleston closed her file. He pulled his glasses off and carefully folded them before slipping them into his breast pocket.

“I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that question, and unfortunately, nobody does. Predicting a miscarriage is as impossible to do as predicting a natural disaster. I’m sorry that I can’t give you more peace of mind.”, he replied.

I nodded, remembering when my associates tried to predict the chances of my serum actually working. Needless to say that my odds hadn’t been the greatest. I looked up and replied,

“I understand all too well what you mean.”

Dr. Hiddleston gestured to Natasha and said,

“Shall we proceed?”

I stood outside of the exam room and waited, my palms sweating and my heart racing.

I took up pacing in the hall until Dr. Hiddleston left to allow Natasha to get dressed.

“Well? Is she pregnant?”, I asked.

Dr. Hiddleston smiled and said,

“Congratulations Dr. Banner, if all goes well, in eight months you and Natasha should be proud parents.”

He left me standing in the hall, filled with joy at the thought of finally becoming a father.

Natasha came out of the exam room and she gave me one of her dazzling smiles.

“I suppose he told you?”

I nodded and she embraced me. She whispered into my ear,

“Bruce! I’m so happy right now!! I want to be an amazing mother, just like you’ll be an amazing father. I know how badly you want a family and now I can give that to you.”

I held her and imagined what our child would look like. All my dreams were finally coming true. I was marrying Natasha and I was going to be a father.

“Come on Natasha, let’s go home.”

* * *

**Later at the tuxedo tailor…**

**Tony POV**

Out of all the times I had tried on suits and tuxedos for various occasions, I had never found myself shaking where I stood.

It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and that the ground would fall away beneath me at any second.

I looked myself in the mirror and realized that this tuxedo marked the end of an era. 

I realized after I kissed her that Pepper was the love of my life. I couldn’t keep living the life of a playboy, I wanted to commit to Pepper and only Pepper.

My days as a playboy were over now.

The prelude of my life was cut short when my parents passed away. The first movement rushed by as I turned into a self-absorbed smartass who was always wasted and had had more sex (and sex partners) by the age of thirty than most men will have in a lifetime. The tempo picked up and then the mood changed abruptly when I became Iron Man. Then I was racing along again until I kissed Pepper, thus solidifying the feelings that I had always harbored for her. In one month, the maestro would cue the end of the first movement, turn the page, raise his baton, and begin the second movement as Pepper and I were wed.

I straightened my collar and stepped back from the mirror, sighing softly.

The second movement was approaching, I was ready to be done with the first.           

I could deal with just being a genius, billionaire, and philanthropist as long as I could be Pepper’s husband.

She made me a better man.

“Sir Stark? Sir Bruce wishes to know how long it takes to put on your armor.”

I was jolted out of my thoughts in an instant.

“What did you say, Point Break?”

“Tony!”, Steve knocked on my door, “The girls have found their dresses, Beth went to work and the rest of them went home. There’s some maniac attacking in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. That’s around where Beth is working. Suit up!”

I pulled off the tux and put on my normal clothes. I bought the tux and paid for my groomsmen’s tuxes. I went out to my car and pulled out the briefcase version of my suit and it assembled around me. My HUD display flashed to life as Jarvis gave me the information and soon we were off.

We reached the battle and found another army of robotic minions destroying the business community.

“Here we go guys. Someone tell Bruce to get angry.”, I said into my communicator.

“I just did.”, said Steve, “ He said that it would be physically impossible. Nothing could bring him down today.”

I rolled my eyes and said,

“Then tell him to stay out of the way. We have Natasha on a communicator at the tower, she’s our eye in the sky. Serena is circling in a helicopter. Loki?”

“Yes?”, the demigod replied.

“Can you suit up?”

“You mean turn into my Jotun half?”

“Bingo.”

“Oh then you won’t be able to reach me over this Midgardian form of communication.”

I heard a roar and then, “HULK SMASH!!!”.

I guess Bruce found some way to get mad.

A blue burst of light drew my attention towards the battle as Loki froze everything in his path.

 _"Time to go to work."_  , I thought as I let loose a couple dozen mini rockets and destroyed a portion of robots.   

* * *

**Steve POV**

In the middle of our current battle against some insane guy, ‘Dr. Nightmare’, I think he called himself, I found my mind wandering to Beth. Not because I was distracted by the thought of her sitting at home and worrying over me, but because she had gone to work.

“STEVE!!!”

That sounded like she was calling out to me in desperation.

I wish she hadn’t gone out on a job hunt in the first place.

She said that she was becoming too dependent on Tony and everyone else in the tower and that she needed to ‘reclaim a bit of her old self’. The area she had decided to find work in was near to the place where Dr. Nightmare was fighting us with his robotic minions. I just hoped that she was safe.

“STEVE!!”

That sounded like Beth, only her voice was tinged with fear. “BETH??”, I yelled back, running towards the sound of her cries.

“STEVE HELP ME!!!”

“Son of a bitch…” , I muttered as I rounded a corner and the sight that met my eyes made my heart stop.

There was Dr. Nightmare himself, standing in the wreck of the music store where Beth decided to take a secretary job. I looked over and saw Beth’s desk. It had been destroyed completely aside from a framed photo of us from Hawaii that had somehow survived. I inhaled sharply at the sight, but what caused me to stop dead in my tracks was Dr. Nightmare holding a gun to Beth’s head.

I had never felt so utterly helpless in my life.

Beth was struggling against her attacker's grip, trying to wiggle free. She was bleeding from a cut on her arm and a bruise blossomed under her right eye.

The bastard had actually _hit_ her. 

“One more step and she’s gone, Captain.”, he threatened, cocking the gun, "Such a shame too...she's awfully pretty....".

Beth struggled as he grinned evilly and got his arm around her waist. She fixed me with her vivid blue eyes which were now wide with fear.

"Steve, don't listen to him!", she cried.

 I wasn’t going to move a muscle or do anything heroic, I couldn’t risk losing her.

I got out of my fighter’s stance and lowered my hand and shield.

“Cap? What are you doing?”, asked Clint over the headset.

I discreetly pressed a button on my utility belt, calling for backup.

Dr. Nightmare loosened his grip on Beth and laughed as he tossed her aside, her head colliding with the ground harshly.

"BETH!", I cried as she laid there, quiet and motionless.

I didn't breathe until I saw her stir and lift herself up on shaky arms.  

“So? The great Captain America has gone soft over a blonde secretary? Hmm?”, he questioned, pointing the gun at me and walking away from Beth, who was getting up off her feet, "I don't blame you...I too have a thing for busty blondes...", he said, "I especially enjoy watching them die after I've had my fun with them..."

"You sick, perverted, bastard... I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do...", I seethed, rage permeating every fiber of my being.

Natasha spoke over my headset.

“Cap, Beth is alright, just quit standing there and do something!”

She wasn’t with us at the battle but she was watching a live feed of the battle from the lab at the tower. She was our ‘eye in the sky’, as Tony put it.

I felt the ground shake as the Hulk was unleashed. Dr. Nightmare kept advancing on me.

“Your team will fall. One by one, and there is nothing you can do about-”

He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in fear as he looked beyond me. All of a sudden, he yelped with pain and slumped over.

He dropped to all fours and I saw Beth holding a metal bar like a baseball bat. She gave me a small half smile as a trickle of blood ran down her face. 

She had taken out his legs by hitting him in his knees.

Her smile was broken as she winced in pain and held her head.

I turned to see the Hulk picking up a car and preparing to throw it at Dr. Nightmare. I found the strength to move and ran, grabbed Beth, hoisted her onto my back, and sprinted away as fast as I could.

I heard Dr. Nightmare screaming in terror and then I heard “HULK SMASH!!!” , as I boarded the helicopter that Serena had landed in a deserted parking lot.

We waited in silence as I checked Beth's injuries, which didn't appear to be too serious.

When we were in the air and headed home, I had Bruce take over. He knew more about medicine than any of us. Beth had a concussion and her cuts would need stitches. Bruce said he would have to check up on her frequently to rule out any serious head trauma.

We flew to the tower where Serena hovered over the roof and we rappelled down onto the roof as she flew the helicopter back to SHIELD HQ. It was Darcy and Loki’s turn to cook that night but I went right to my room to take a shower after making sure Beth was taken care of.

I let the hot water pour over me as I thought about what Natasha had said this morning. I had bought an engagement ring several weeks ago and now I was going to propose.

I got dressed and grabbed the ring, praying to God that she would say yes.

I remembered how happy Natasha and Bruce had been after their engagement. I only wanted the best for Beth and I hoped that I could do this right.

The elevator doors opened and I saw the table set in the dining room. I guess Darcy and Loki really did know how to cook. It was a vegan meal and we had this thing called ‘tofu’, which was an alternative source of protein made out of soybeans. Beth sat down next to me and I started sweating bullets.

She was beautiful, even if she was injured.

This was it. Now or never.

“Um, Beth.”

She looked at me, a smile on her face.

“Yes?”

“You’ve been my girlfriend for a long time and you know how much I love you.”

“Yeah.”, she nodded, blushing a little. "What's this all about?", she asked.

"Well, I must confess, I don't like your last name.", I said boldly, hoping she didn't backhand me.

Her eyebrows lowered.

"What's wrong with my last name?", she asked, anger working its way into her tone. 

"Nothing! I just think it would sound better if you changed it.", I replied, feigning surprise while masking my fear.

"Well then, what do _you_ think I should change it to?", she asked, clearly annoyed.

Time to end the joke.

I pulled out the ring and got down on one knee.

“Rogers.", I replied, keeping a straight face to show that I was being honest.

She gasped, her mood changing from angry to surprised in an instant.

Tension filled the air.

"Beth, will you marry me?", I asked.

My heart skipped a beat as she nodded and whispered “Yes.”

I froze, she had said yes!! I slipped the ring on her finger and stood up to kiss Beth as the rest of our friends congratulated us.

"You know, I wasn't angry at all.", she murmured.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I held Bruce’s hand as Steve and Beth embraced.

I remembered the day Bruce proposed like it was only yesterday.

Tony had Jarvis put on some music and dim the lights. Everyone but me drank some champagne and then we all danced. Bruce held me close as we danced to a song by Lana Del Rey called ‘Young and Beautiful’.

 _“Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful? Will you still love me when I’ve got nothing but my aching soul?”_ , I sang softly as we swayed in the dim light.

Bruce murmured in my ear,

“Of course I will Natasha. You mean the world to me. I love you.”

We moved over to the floor to ceiling windows and looked out. The November wind had been crisp that morning and there had been a bit of frost on the balcony windows. Later there had been dark clouds rolling in from the north.

As I stood there with the one man that meant everything to me, I found my life falling into place at the same time that my teammates found their lives doing the same.

I stood in the midst of the change and looked down at my abdomen where I was carrying our unborn child, ready to move forward.

Change happened just in time for the very first snowflakes to fall from the steel gray sky, covering the city in an immaculate blanket of white and heralding the arrival of a new season.

“I love you too Bruce.”


	15. Thankful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving at the tower turns out to be a full house when Tony and Pepper decide to host.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can already tell, this story does not comply with the plot of any new Marvel movies or the hit TV show: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  
> I don't own anything.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I question Tony’s sanity on an almost daily basis. Today I had a feeling that I would question it multiple times.

It all started two weeks ago, the day after we saw Dr. Hiddleston.

I was sitting in the living room with Natasha, narrowing down our vast honeymoon destination options. Loki and Darcy were playing Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 (and Loki was losing), Jane and Thor were cooing as the twins crawled around on their play mat, and Beth was sitting stock-still as Steve sketched a portrait of her from observation. Maria was playing her cello and Phil was accompanying her on the piano. Clint and Serena were playing a card game.

Just a normal Saturday afternoon. Then Tony walked in.

“Hey guys! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I had a marvelous idea.”

We didn’t even glance upwards from what we were doing and Tony kept talking, unfazed by our lack of attention.

“I thought that it would be nice if those of us who have family members could invite them to Thanksgiving dinner.”

The room fell silent as all of us stared at Tony. Darcy was the first to speak.

“So, we can invite our families here for dinner?”

Tony shrugged.

“That’s the idea. Pepper wanted to invite her mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and her nephew over for dinner and then I thought; What the hell, it's the holiday season, a time for families and togetherness, the more the merrier. Let’s face it, we have a big enough dining room for almost fifty people at maximum capacity. Pepper wanted me to meet her family before we get married and I know you guys haven't seen your families in ages, so call them up, invite them to dinner. Hell, invite them to stay a week if they want, we have a ton of room. I'll pay for the airfare. Come on guys, it’ll be fun!”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,”, Beth said as she glanced at Steve, “When I called home and told them that I was engaged, my aunt and uncle said they wanted to meet you... I'm sure they wouldn't mind flying up here for a week to meet their future nephew-in-law.”

Steve gulped at the prospect of meeting his future in-laws.

Natasha and I really didn’t care and went back to looking at our brochures.

It’s not like I had any family to invite and neither did Natasha.

Both of us tapped the brochure for Bermuda at the same time and smiled as everyone who had families went to call them up.

We weren’t smiling two weeks later when we were running around in a mad dash to get all of the guest rooms made up. We had been working since the crack of dawn and I kept telling Natasha to take it easy. The master assassin wouldn’t rest. I was worried that she would hurt the baby.

Natasha had been moody since she became pregnant again. She wasn’t feeling any symptoms of morning sickness this time. Just a bunch of mood swings.

Last night, she had jumped my bones (I loved it and so did the Hulk) and then cried afterwards for no reason.

She had almost broken Clint’s bow when he made a joke about pregnant women being ‘hormonally unstable’. Lucky for Clint, Serena had been standing behind him and smacked him upside the head, telling him that he was being rude for speaking to Natasha like that instead of snapping his bow.

Now she was getting mad at me every time I told her to take it easy.

I sighed as I heard Natasha crying again.

I went into the hallway where I found her on her knees and sobbing over a pile of  towels she had dropped by accident.

I knelt down as the Hulk whined in pity from the back of my mind. The big guy hated seeing his Natasha in tears all the time and blamed himself for her emotional instability.

 _"Hulk want his Tasha to know that he sorry for making Tasha feel sad all the time. Hulk know this is his fault and want his Tasha to feel happy soon."_ , he spoke in my head.

 I wrapped her in a tight hug as she cried into my chest.

“B-Bruce? What’s wrong with me? Why am I such a mess all of a sudden?”

I rocked her back and forth gently and murmured,

“Sweetheart there is nothing wrong with you. It’s just the hormones.”

She just sobbed harder and I held her as she sniffled,

“B-but what if I lose it again?? Bruce I’m scared. I want to be a mother so badly. I want to live in the suburbs and raise a family. I want to go to our son’s soccer games or our daughter’s ballet recitals, I want to grow old with you and die a natural death. What if I can’t give you a family?”

I stroked her hair, understanding her fear all too well.

“Then we’ll get married and adopt a baby. We’ll raise a family and I’ll love you through it all. But for right now, you need to promise me three things.”

She dried her eyes and looked at me,

“What?”

“That you’ll take it easy through this pregnancy, that you’ll stay as calm as you can, and that you’ll trust me when I say that this baby will be okay.” , I said in a sincere tone, peering over the rims of my glasses.

Natasha nodded and wiped the last few tears away as I helped her to her feet.

“Bruce, I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

I kissed her forehead, pulled her into a warm embrace, and murmured,

“Neither do I.”

Tony got off the elevator and said,

“Hurry!!! It’s time to set the table and put out the snacks for the football game! We have in-laws invading any minute! Come on Bruce!”

I rolled my eyes and said,

“I don’t care for sports.”, Then I mouthed the words, “I’m busy.”, and waved Tony off as Natasha pressed herself deeper into my embrace.

“I love you Bruce.”

I swayed gently while holding her.

_I am so damn fortunate._

“I love you too.”

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I walked with Bruce up to the elevator and we went into the living room.

Tony, Loki, and Clint were dressed nicely yet casually and were pacing around nervously. Steve was in his Army uniform and was shifting as Beth took a lint roller to his uniform, making sure he looked absolutely perfect. 

Soon they would be meeting the families of their fiancées or girlfriends for the first time and they were shaking in their boots.

I walked over to Loki who kept turning blue and shivering.

“Loki? Why do you keep phasing into your Jotun form?”

He flashed blue once more, his ruby red eyes widened in fear for a second before turning green again, and said,

“In all my years, I have never known true fear until now. I am nervous enough to turn into my Jotun form. It’s like how you mortals break out into a cold sweat I suppose.”

He shivered and turned blue again. 

I patted the shuddering demigod on the shoulder as his eyes darted around the room.

“You’ll be fine. I promise. How bad could it be?”

He chuckled nervously and so did all the guys around me, as if to emphasize their anxiety.

Then the elevator door opened and out came Beth’s aunt and uncle.

Beth ran forward from her spot next to Steve on the sofa and embraced her aunt and uncle, her godparents who raised her after her parents died. I glanced at Steve who stood up and walked over to Beth’s godparents who eyed him up and down, obviously liking the looks of Beth's fiancée.

Beth's uncle (who I later learned was once a young Army Captain who served honorably in the last two years of the Vietnam War), shook hands with Steve and then saluted him. Steve immediately noticed the Vietnam veteran patch on his jacket and snapped at attention, saluting the older man.  

Bruce came and stood next to me, murmuring in a low voice as Tony’s future in-laws came into the room,

“This should be fun to watch.”

I smirked and nodded.

After all the jokes Tony had played on every member of the team, to watch him get nervous, even if it’s was just for a little while, would be sweet revenge.

“Hey, Natasha?”, Bruce began as we sat on the sofa and watched the families file into the room.

“Yeah Bruce?”

“You mentioned  something about a father-figure once?”

My mind flooded with thoughts of him. Ivan, the man who I had affectionately called my father at one point after I was brainwashed by the Red Room.

“His name was Ivan. He showed me a way out of the darkness of the constant murdering game I was trained and destined to play. Then he disappeared. I slipped back into the game and was lost once more. That was seven years ago, he’s probably dead now.”

Bruce placed his hand on mine and murmured, “I’m sorry.”.

I went to say everything was okay but I was cut off when a German Shepherd placed its front paws on my lap and woofed at me. 

I was surprised, but had always loved dogs and began petting the friendly animal.

Darcy laughed, grabbed the dog’s collar gently and said,

“Excuse my dog, Chip is just excited to be around a bunch of new people.”

I giggled as Chip licked my hand, his tail wagging wildly as I pet him. Bruce was smiling as Chip rolled over and let him rub his belly.

“Darcy, can you take Chip out for a walk?”, Darcy’s stepmom called, eyeing Loki suspiciously.

She nodded, bundled up, and grabbed Chip’s leash. Loki smiled nervously as Darcy’s dad asked, “So you’re Loki? Darcy’s boyfriend? The same guy who destroyed half of NYC?”

Loki nodded, "Yes sir, that would be me, but in my defense, I was being controlled by a powerful force and wasn't quite able to control my actions during the attacks on NYC... My magic was stripped from me, so I'm essentially harmless...".

Darcy's father nodded and extended his hand, “Brett Lewis. Nice to meet you... Darcy explained everything, including your Jotun parentage and your Asgardian upbringing...I believe you... If Darcy can trust you the way she does, and she doesn't trust people easily, I suppose there shouldn't be a reason for me to be afraid of you.”

"Thank you sir, you'll have no problems from me.", Loki said with a polite inclination of his head.

I smiled as Pepper’s sister, brother-in-law, and nephew introduced themselves to Tony.

Things seemed to go smoothly through all the introductions. Then Tony raised his voice over the crowd and said,

“May I please have your attention?”

The room fell silent.

“First of all I’d like to thank you for coming. This means a lot to everyone, coming out here to celebrate Thanksgiving. The turkey is almost done. While we’re waiting, I’d like to take this time for you to get to know the people who live here, so we’ll introduce ourselves and say what we’re thankful for. I’ll start. My name is Tony Stark and I’m thankful for all my friends who have taught me so much about life.”

“I’m Pepper Potts and I’m thankful for the science that saved Tony’s life.”

“I’m Steve Rogers and I’m thankful for our brave soldiers.”

“I’m Beth Covington and I’m thankful for being able to find the right partner.”

“I am Thor Odinson, and I am most thankful for my beautiful wife and two healthy children.”

“I’m Dr. Jane Odinson and I’m thankful for my wonderful husband and my lovely twins.”

“I’m Darcy Lewis and I’m thankful for the gifts of knowledge, trust, and wisdom.”

“I am Loki Laufeyson and I am truly thankful for the second chance to make amends.”

“I’m Clint Barton and I’m thankful for my teammates who have become my family.”

“I’m Serena Atwell and I’m thankful for my friends.”

“I’m Phil Coulson and I’m thankful for the smart cellist who taught me a thing or two about love.”, he kissed Maria’s cheek and said, “Thanks Maria.”

“I’m Maria Coulson and I’m thankful for my husband and the wellbeing of all who are gathered here.”

It was Bruce’s turn and he didn’t hesitate as he held my hand and said,

“I’m Dr. Bruce Banner and I’m thankful for unconditional love and my wonderful fiancée.”      

My turn.

“I’m Natasha Romanoff and I’m thankful for my loving fiancée and the health of our unborn child.”

Everyone turned to Fury who summed it all up nicely.

“I’m Director Nick Fury and I’m thankful for the opportunity and the privilege to work with not just a group of extraordinary people, but to be a part of this family that you’ve become.”

Jarvis interrupted the moment and startled all the visitors, “Sir? The turkey is done.”

“Thank you Jarvis.”, Tony said before we proceeded into the dining room.

We ate, drank and talked through most of the meal until everyone was full. Most of the guys went into the living room and turned on the football game as us ladies (with the exception of Bruce and Loki) started to clean up from dinner.

I took a stack of plates into the kitchen just as Bruce told me to be careful for the hundredth time today.

Out of nowhere I just seemed to get fed up with his constant worrying.

Something in me snapped.

I grabbed him by his hand and headed for the stairs in the back of the kitchen with one destination in mind: the training room.

I didn’t say a word as we descended the stairs, saving my outburst until I had closed and locked the door behind us. Then I rounded on him.

“Bruce?! Do you mind telling me why I’m somehow incapable of doing simple tasks all of a sudden!?”

His eyes went wide and he said in an anxious tone,

“I’m just concerned for your wellbeing, that’s all!”

I rolled my eyes.

“You’re always concerned when it comes to me! Do you ever take my feelings into consideration?”

“I always do, and you know it!”

I turned to face the wall of mirrors where I made eye contact with his reflection and glared at him.

“Obviously not.”

He threw up his hands in exasperation.

“What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?”

I turned back and yelled,

“It means that I like being a little more independent!! I can’t do that if you’re _always_ there saying, ‘Natasha, be careful.’, ‘Natasha, take it easy.’, and on and on until I just can’t take it anymore! I want you to know that I am being careful and that you don’t have to tell me to do so every five minutes! I’m sick of you and your 24/7 concern, so just stop it okay! Back up a little and give me some room to breathe!”

I turned to the mirror and saw how Bruce had turned away and clenched his fists.

In my heart I was sorry for yelling at him. I was so good at screwing things up. Now I had made him upset and I didn’t know what he was going to do.

He spoke in a low voice, laced with hurt,

“You can’t see it, can you?”

“What can’t I see?”, I asked in a softer tone.

He unclenched his fists and sank to his knees. I rushed over to his side and knelt beside him. He didn’t look at me as he muttered,

“You can’t see how scared I am of losing you, the baby, or both. I want to be certain that that never happens. Natasha, I care about you more than I think you know.”, He placed a hand on mine gently, “I want to protect you and this is the only way I know how.”

He ran a hand through his curly hair before looking at me with concern and anxiety marring his features.

“You know, sometimes I think that this is all a dream, that I’ll just wake up and find out that I’m still living in the slums of Calcutta. Sometimes I wish that I was normal, and sometimes I wish that the super soldier serum had worked.”

I gripped his bicep, pulling him up and into a hug. He stroked my hair and whispered,

“But nowadays all I wish for is your safety and that of the baby and I will do anything to make sure you’re safe.”

Now it was my turn to bite back my tears.

“Bruce. I-I didn’t know. I knew that you cared for me more than anything…Hell, I wouldn’t be wearing this ring if you didn’t. I just feel like such a bitch because I was complaining about how much you cared for me and then I told you to stop. I’m sorry.”, a stray tear fell and he pulled away, staring deep into my soul with those warm brown eyes of his. He smiled and kissed me.

“I forgive you and I believe that you make a good point, I am worrying a lot more than I should. That doesn’t mean I won’t stop worrying about you though.”

I pulled away from him and looked down at my abdomen and said,

“I hope this kid is as forgiving and as smart as their Daddy.”

Bruce put a hand on my abdomen, which would round out at about four and a half to five months and smiled.

“I hope that this kid is as free-spirited and intelligent as their Mommy.”

As we walked out of the training room, hand in hand, I said,

“You know what else I’m thankful for?”

“What’s that?”

I pulled him close and kissed him slowly before I broke away and murmured,

“The chance to live life every single day with you by my side.”

Bruce pulled me close and whispered,

“That’s all I ever wanted.”


	16. Snowy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Natasha make a new addition to the household at the Avengers Tower.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I was working in the lab with Tony on a new suit.

He had built so many of these suits that he didn’t even have to refer to his engineer's notebook for the suit's dimensions unless he wanted to make some additions to the suit.

When Tony would get nervous, he would turn up the classic rock, build things, and avoid sleeping.

In the past week, Tony had disassembled and rebuilt his Mark VII suit at least six times.

I had suggested that maybe, instead of taking apart his other suit, he should build a new one.

He had agreed and called it ‘Male Genius Bonding Time’, immediately enlisting my help on it.

I couldn’t blame him for his nervousness, the guy was getting married in less than thirty days.

Last week, all of us guys had gone behind Tony’s back and planned a bachelor party.

Clint had hired a few ‘exotic dancers’.

I had shook my head at the idea and reluctantly agreed to chip in on a half keg with Phil.

Natasha told me that she and the ladies were taking Pepper out to have a surprise bachelorette party and was just as reluctant to go as I was.

It was December fourth, Natasha was nearing the end of the first trimester and I was starting to get anxious because she was just starting to show and this was around the same time she had miscarried in the past.

My hands were always shaking and it was becoming obvious as I worked.

“Hey Bruce? Do you need to talk? Man to man?”

I smirked at Tony.

“Nope. I’ll be okay. Are you okay? You seem to be getting as nervous as I am.”

Tony sighed and asked me,

“Have you ever been so nervous that something was going to go wrong that you could’ve sworn there was electricity coursing through your veins and that your guts were twisting into knots?”

I nodded.

“How do you think I feel knowing that there’s an unknown chance that Natasha may miscarry again and, if she doesn’t, an even scarier chance that the kid will be like me? The suspense is enough to make me lose control.”

Tony nodded and said,

“I can only imagine how Natasha is feeling. She’s probably just as nervous as you are.”

I agreed.

Natasha’s hormones had calmed down but she had started eating more.

She hadn’t been training in the gym as much as she usually did; choosing to take it easy instead by only doing shooting practices, practicing yoga, and reading a bunch of books that were written in Russian and a few other languages that I didn't know how to speak.

We were nearly done planning the wedding and we only had to send invitations out to the few agents of SHIELD that we had decided to invite.

Our wedding was going to be a small and cozy event.

Natasha and I decided that we would spend three weeks in Bermuda in Tony’s beach house (where the hell didn’t he have a house?) before coming home and getting ready for when the baby would come which would be about early June.

“Dr. Banner?”, Jarvis asked, “Agent Romanoff wishes to see you in the training room.”

Tony looked at me with a knowing smile and said,

“Well, your lady awaits. So go to her Bruce. Sweep her away.”

I said,

“Thanks and I will.”, before leaving.

I went into the training room and found a note that read:

_Bruce,_

_I’m in the dance studio, down the hall, first door on your right._ _See you soon._

_Love, Natasha_

_P.S.: You may want to try these on for size._

I noticed a shoebox under the bench where the note was and I opened it to find a pair of black and white Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers. I took off my Sperry’s and slipped on the Chuck Taylor's. I walked around in them as I folded up Natasha’s note and slid it into the inside pocket of my blazer and walked out of the training room to the dance studio.

_Hmm these are comfy…I wonder what she has in mind?_

The room was dimly lit with two walls made of mirrors, a sleek black upright piano in the corner with a vase full of lavender roses sitting on top of it. There were speakers placed around the room and lightweight curtains hung from the windows.

I looked upand saw Natasha standing there in a pale blue dress with dark blue flats. She had a funny smile on her face as she walked towards me and said,

“You seem a bit shaky, Dr. Banner.”

She moved silently across the hardwood floor. I found my voice and said,

“Uh…Wow. Natasha. You didn’t have to do all this.”

She shushed me as she placed a finger over my lips. Soft music began to play in the background and she pulled me into a slow kiss. She ran her hand through my curls and I pulled her into me by placing my hand gently into the small of her back.

We broke the kiss and danced together; not an inch of space between our bodies. I pressed my cheek up against hers and murmured as I dipped her,

“Natasha, I love you.”

She kissed my cheek and whispered back,

“I love you too.”

The grey light came in through the windows, casting pale shadows along the floor as the snow fell outside.

We were in our own little world, our heaven.

Natasha murmured softly,

“Bruce, how would you like to adopt a puppy?”

My eyes shot open and a grin broke across my face.

I had a dog named Foster when I was a kid until I was about seven, when we had to put him down because he was old. I missed Foster, but figured that he was in a better place.

“I would love to adopt a puppy. Let’s just ask the landlord first.”

She nodded and said,

“Jarvis? Ask Tony how he feels about Bruce and I adopting a puppy. It’ll be our responsibility.”

“Will that be all, Agent Romanoff?”

“Yes.”

“Agent Romanoff? Mr. Stark is all for letting you two adopt a puppy as long as it doesn't chew up Miss Potts's furniture or make a mess of the carpets and floors.”

Natasha jumped up and down, a huge smile on her face, forgetting about dancing altogether as she said, “Bruce! Let’s get dressed for the weather and go!”, before running to get bundled up for the snow. I ran to do the same and we were rolling out of the garage in no time.

“You know, I had a puppy once, it was a stray but I had to kill it or I would have been killed. Again, I didn’t cry but I was very sad.”, she said as we were driving along.

“I had a dog named Foster when I was a kid, but we had to put him down when I was eight. He was old and sick, I missed him then and I miss him now.”

“I called my dog Vrach, which is Russian for ‘Doctor’. I found him on my first mission when I had to kill a local doctor who had betrayed the Red Room. After I had done my job, I came outside and there he was, sitting there in the snow outside of the clinic. He followed me home and that’s where he stayed for a year before I had to kill him for my own safety.”

The snow started to fall harder as we came upon the local animal shelter and went inside. It was free to adopt a pet but we had brought one of Stark’s credit cards, so we could buy the necessities for our dog.

We were led back to the kennels and began to search.

“Well, Natasha, we’ll have to get a dog that is medium sized and this means I’ll have to keep a closer eye on my temper from now on. I don’t want to scare the dog.”

Natasha nodded.

“We can soundproof the Hulk containment unit better so that the roars don’t frighten the poor thing.”

I nodded. I had seen the footage of the Hulk in action and even his roars scared me shitless. I didn’t want to think about how scared an innocent puppy could become if I turned into the Hulk around it.

Natasha grabbed my bicep and pointed at a puppy. It was a cream colored golden retriever.

“That one!”, she leaned down and pushed a finger through the chain link fence that separated us from the little yipping puppy.

It started to lick her finger and Natasha cooed something in Russian.

I knelt down and slipped two fingers through the fence and smiled as the puppy licked them enthusiastically.

“Hey can I help you folks out?”, an employee asked, walking over to us with a smile.

Natasha stood up and asked the man if we could take the puppy out and see how it behaved.

I sat cross legged on the floor as the man opened up the cage.

The puppy bounded right into my arms and began to lick my face.

Natasha knelt down and the puppy started to play with the fringe on the edge of her scarf before hopping up in her lap and nuzzling her affectionately.

I looked up at the employee and asked what the gender was and if it had a name.

“She’s a female, ten weeks old, has all her shots. If you bring her back in a month, we can get her fixed. We just got her a few days ago, so I don’t think she’s been given a name yet.”

Natasha looked up and scooped the puppy up in her arms, where it stilled but continued to yip with excitement.

“We’d like to adopt her.”, I said, getting up to pet the puppy.

We filled out the paperwork and left.

It was like a blizzard had hit, snow was blowing hard and I pulled Natasha close as we walked to her car. She was holding the fluffy puppy inside an old blanket to keep it warm, but just enough so that it’s head stuck out.

When we got into her car, I asked her,

“What are we gonna name her?”

She shrugged and said,

“I don’t know, Snowy maybe.”

All of a sudden the puppy silenced itself and put a paw on Natasha’s leg.

“Snowy?” I asked and the puppy bounded over the center console to me and placed a paw on my leg.

I looked at Natasha and we nodded in unison.

“Snowy it is.”

* * *

**Natasha POV**

We bought the necessities for Snowy and returned to the tower. I had already puppy proofed the ‘apartment’ that Bruce and I shared. We rode up to the common area as Snowy raced around our feet. Bruce knelt down and scratched Snowy behind her ear. He gazed up at me and stood.

“She’s cute.”, he said with a smile as Snowy sat on his foot. He looked at me with his deep brown eyes, the same curl of brown hair fell onto his forehead and he kissed me slowly.

I sighed as he brushed a stray lock of hair off my face and placed a hand on my abdomen.

“I have a feeling that this will turn out right.”, he said, looking down at what could barely be considered a baby bump.

I smiled as Snowy sat on my foot now, yipping at the two of us.

“Yeah, everything will turn out just fine.”

The elevator doors slid open as Snowy went racing out and into the living area. She promptly jumped up on the sofa and began barking at Loki, who smiled and stroked her behind her ear.

“This is an adorable canine you have adopted. What is her name?”, Loki asked, noting her pink collar.

“Snowy.”, Bruce and I replied at the same time, causing her ears to perk up.

“Ah,”, Loki said, “It suits her well.”

Just then, Beth and Steve came walking in together.

“Hey guys.”, Steve greeted before noticing Snowy and going over to pet her.

“And who is this little cutie pie?”, Beth asked, petting Snowy.

We introduced Snowy to all the tower’s inhabitants and it was quite obvious that our new four legged companion would be spoiled rotten.

Everyone loved her, even Fury, who offered a rare smile when Snowy chomped down on the hem of his trench coat and wouldn’t let go, getting dragged on the waxed wood floor instead.

We put down a bunch of newspapers and placed her dog bed in a corner of our room.

Night soon fell and I gazed out the balcony door from our apartment.

Snowy was worn out and had gone straight to her dog bed for some sleep.

Bruce had dimmed the lights and there was soft holiday music playing in the background.

I watched the snow fall at a gentle pace and sighed.

A pair of warm hands found their way to my shoulders and began to give me a neck massage.

I grinned as Bruce murmured in my ear slowly and seductively,

“So, _Agent Romanoff_ , how does it feel to be alone at last?”

I gasped as he pressed his lips into the sensitive part of my neck, sliding my silky bathrobe off my shoulders.

“It feels quite nice, _Dr. Banner_.”

I turned around and unbuttoned his shirt, giving him the bedroom eyes.

“Natasha…”, he began, but I shushed him with a passionate kiss as he shrugged his shirt off and removed his glasses.    

My nightgown and underwear were soon tossed aside, his khakis and briefs following close behind.

“Natasha..”, he growled between searing kisses, “God you are so beautiful.”

He pushed me onto the bed and I gasped.

“Bruce!”

His brown eyes found my green ones in the dim lighting.

“Yes?”

“Promise me that you’ll never leave me.”

He lowered his forehead to mine and cupped my face, “Why would I ever leave you? You’re my whole world, I would never leave you.”, he said lovingly. “I love you Natasha, I always will.”

“I love you too Bruce.”


	17. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team celebrates Christmas at the tower while Natasha experiences a miracle during her twelfth week of pregnancy.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

Twelve is a very important number.

December is the twelfth month in a year, Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, there are twelve days of Christmas, twelve is the number of years I spent with the Red Room, it’s the minimum number of times per day that Bruce has to prevent Tony from blowing the top ten floors of the tower up, and it’s also the maximum number of weapons that I can conceal at a time. 

 But the most important things about that number for me at this very moment was that twelve weeks into a pregnancy was the first time I felt something shift inside me.

According to Dr. Hiddleston, I conceived in late September and would be due sometime in June. Bruce was standing next to me in the kitchen when I felt the baby shift for the first time. It was a slight movement, it was small and fleeting, yet it was strong enough for me to feel.

I was holding Snowy’s water bowl when I felt it move. I gasped and dropped the bowl in surprise, spilling water all over the kitchen floor.

 Bruce was at my side in a heartbeat, concerned as always.

“Natasha! Are you okay?”

I nodded and my hand flew to my abdomen. He noticed immediately and asked,

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain? Is it the baby?”

I nodded and found my voice.

“Y-Yeah Bruce, I’m okay. It…the baby…I think it just… _moved_.”

He stepped back and raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“They can move this early?”

I shrugged.

“I guess so.”

He picked up Snowy’s water bowl and began to mop up the water as I stood stock-still, silently hoping the baby shifted again so I could be certain that I wasn't imagining things. I was rewarded with another soft movement.

“Aha! I felt it again!!” , I exclaimed.

Bruce stood up and didn't even try to hide his smile.

I took his hands and placed them on my abdomen so that maybe he could feel it too.

I bit my lip as we waited in silence.

I thought to myself, _“Any day now would be great.”_ , as Bruce and I waited patiently.

“Natasha…”

“Wait.”, I said.

The baby moved and I said,

“There! It moved again! Did you feel it?!”

Bruce shook his head and took his hands off my abdomen and said in a puzzled voice,

“No, I didn't feel it. Are you sure you aren't imagining things? You know your organs are rearranging themselves to fit around your uterus, it could be gas moving around as your intestines shift”

“I’m positive that this baby just moved. In any case, we have an appointment with Dr. Hiddleston today, so we can ask about the baby’s progress then.” 

He nodded and refilled Snowy’s water bowl.

We walked into the living room and saw Snowy sitting under the piano. When she saw us coming, she raced away, barking as she went.

“Snowy!”, Bruce called as she raced off down the hall and into the room that Steve always used for those times when he got the urge to paint.

“Oh shit.”, I muttered as Bruce broke into a run after her.

He almost collided with an apron-wearing Steve, who came out of his studio with Snowy in his arms and a half smile on his face.

“Don’t worry,”, he said, handing Snowy over to Bruce, “she didn't ruin anything.”

“Thanks Steve.”, I said.

He smiled and nodded,

“No problem, I have to remember to close the door all the way so this little puffball doesn't get into any more mischief.”

He went back in and closed the door.

I took Snowy  from Bruce and murmured, _“What did you do this time?”_ , to her in Russian.

She whimpered and seemed to understand what I was asking.

I set her down and she whimpered some more, her ears drooped, and her tail went between her legs.

I looked at Bruce who sighed and said, “She had an accident.”, and went to go find it and clean it up.

The baby moved harder this time, but I ignored it because Tony just walked into the living room with Happy and called out,

“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!”

My jaw dropped when I saw the sheer size of the tree they carried in.

Clint dropped from the overhead vent followed by Serena, whom he caught.

He noticed the tree and said,

“Holy shit! That’s a huge ass tree!!”

Serena mirrored his expression and Tony came over to us and said,

“Ta-da! Don’t you like it?”

Loki and Darcy walked out of the game room to see what was going on. Loki asked,

“Is this some sort of  Midgardian custom? To bring a pine tree into one's home during the twelfth month?”

Darcy replied,

“Yes, the tree is a part of the Christmas holiday. Tony went all Clark Griswold* on us when he bought a tree this size.”

Loki asked,

“Who is this Clark Griswold you refer to?”

Darcy rolled her eyes, grabbed her boyfriend’s hand, and pulled him into the home theater,

“I’ll show you, it’s pretty funny.”

I nodded to Bruce who just cleaned up after Snowy and said,

“We have to go, it’s almost time for the appointment.”

He nodded and said,

“I’ll get the coats, you find someone to look after Snowy.”

I opened the door to the home theater and asked,

“Hey can you guys watch Snowy while Bruce and I go to the doctor’s office? I know how much she likes to be around Loki.”

Loki nodded and Snowy bounded in and made herself comfy on his lap. Bruce came up behind me, already bundled up. He helped me into my coat and we passed a disgruntled and sap-covered Pepper on our way to the elevator. She stopped us and said,

“Take the stairs, the elevator is full of sap and pine needles.”

“Thanks Pepper,”, Bruce said as the CEO rolled up her sleeves and looked like she was going to deck her fiancee, “don’t yell at him too loudly, it’s the twins’ nap time.”

We walked down the stairs and got into my car.

“How do you think the baby is doing?”, Bruce asked as we rolled out of the garage.

“I think it’s fine and that we have nothing to worry about, like you said.”

“Okay. Do you think that we should move out after we get married and before the baby is born?”

 I shook my head.

“I don’t know. I want to live in the suburbs and all but can we discuss moving at another time?”

He nodded as I pulled into the parking space. We went up and talked about how Tony’s bachelor party went.

The men stumbled in the door at two AM the other night, all of them (except for Steve and Bruce) were drunk. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen.

Clint was singing the theme song for Spongebob Squarepants with Tony. Phil kept telling Steve that he loved him. Fury was being supported by Thor who was commenting on how Fury looked a lot like Odin, with the eyepatch and all. Loki wouldn’t stop laughing as he shouted “Wheeeee!!! I am Loki, God of Mischief and champion of the Keg Stand!!!!” until he ran into a wall, fell to the floor with a thud, and started sleeping. Bruce was tipsy and had tried to have a conversation with me, but ended up having the conversation with the air about a foot to the left of me. We didn’t see much of the guys the next day, they were all hung over (except for Steve, Bruce, and Thor).

The ladies and I took Pepper out to a male strip club. I was the designated driver and the ladies got just as wasted as the men.

Pepper was drunk after a few Scotches (she and Tony shared the same tastes in alcohol). Beth was wasted after two very strong Sangrias. Maria and Serena were seeing who could do the most shots of Bourbon and Maria won. Jane was more of a social drinker but got a bit tipsy after a few Martinis. Darcy drank I don’t know how many beers and then was wasted to the point that she got up and danced on a table. All in all it was a good night and Pepper had more fun than she’d had in ages.

“Miss Romanoff? Dr. Banner?”, the assistant called.

We followed her back and went through the usual introductions with Dr. H, who announced that today we would be doing the first ultrasound, finding out the gender if we wanted to know, and getting a due date for the birth.

“Any questions, comments, or concerns for me?”, Dr. Hiddleston asked.

I asked,

“How early can I feel the baby move?”

He said,

“That depends on the mother. Babies begin to move around at seven weeks.”

“And what would the first movements feel like?”, I asked.

“Well, seeing as I’ve never been pregnant, I wouldn’t know firsthand, but when my wife was pregnant with my daughter, she said it felt like fluttering and gentle shifting. Gentle movements that only the mother can feel. My daughter didn’t start kicking hard enough for me to feel until almost seventeen weeks.”, he glanced at Bruce and said, “I’m sure you can’t wait to feel the baby kicking, I know I was just like that when my wife was pregnant.”

Bruce nodded and I asked,

“So can we get the exam underway?”

 We went into the exam room and I laid on the table with my shirt rolled up.

Dr. Hiddleston put some cold gel on my abdomen and started the machine, sliding the scanner over the gel. Bruce was with me and he held my hand as I said,

“Ugh this gel is freezing.”

Bruce smiled and said,

“It’ll be over soon.”

Then I heard it, the fast paced heartbeat of our unborn son or daughter.

I started crying as I saw the first picture of the baby. Bruce did as well. They were tears of joy.

“Bruce, that’s our child…alive and well.”

Bruce had no words to express his emotions, he just pulled out his iPhone and snapped a few photos of the ultrasound and then Dr. Hiddleston snapped a photo of Bruce holding the wand to my abdomen, me lying on the exam table, and the two of us with the screen in the background. “Would you two like to know the gender?”, Dr. Hiddleston asked.

I glanced at Bruce who shrugged.

“I want it to be a surprise.” I said with a tone of finality in my voice.

Dr. H nodded and said that my due date would be Sunday June 22nd, 2014.

Bruce left as I was cleaned up and we left in a happy haze, not saying a word because our joy couldn’t be expressed by using mere words.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

The next day was very busy in the tower.

It was December 23rd, one day before Christmas eve and Natasha just informed me that she had a bunch of last minute shopping to do. We went to the nearest mall and browsed around.

She got Tony a huge travel coffee mug, Pepper got a charm bracelet, Steve got watercolor paints, Beth got a set of earrings, Clint got a new knife holster and a personalized knife, Serena got a bottle of vodka and an owl hat, Thor and Jane got a gift card to Gymboree and personalized items from the L.L.Bean store, Loki got a collection of Shakespeare’s works (he was "becoming quite intrigued with classic Midgardian literature"), Darcy got a new stun gun, Maria got a gift certificate to a day spa, Phil got a set of king sized Captain America bed sheets, and Fury got a scarf.

I had already got my Christmas shopping done. Natasha had already bought me my gift and was keeping it a secret.

“Can you give me a clue?”, I asked. I hated suspense and waiting but I was a very patient man, so I could wait a day or two.

She shook her head playfully and said “No” before she winked at me and said, “We wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.”  

We got back to the tower and we helped Tony decorate the tree. For it being so ridiculously large, the tree actually looked nice when it was completed. Loki and Darcy took Snowy on a walk and wouldn’t be back for another twenty minutes. I helped Natasha wrap the gifts she had bought, we placed them under the tree and began to cook dinner.

“Hey Bruce?”

“Hmm?”, I asked, stirring the soup.

“This will be our first Christmas as a couple but our second Christmas as teammates. Do you remember last year?”

I nodded as she pulled the rolls out of the oven.

“You remember how everyone thought Clint and I wouldn’t show up for Christmas?”

I smiled and replied, placing a soft kiss on her lips,

“And then you and Clint walked into the cathedral and sat with us at the Christmas eve church service.”

Natasha nodded and said,

“We looked like hell and we still had some weapons on us in plain sight. We got so many dirty looks that night because the rest of you were all dressed up in your best clothes.”

I smiled and pulled her to me, leaning down and placing my forehead on hers. She closed her eyes and sighed. Snowy raced in from her walk and began tugging on the leg of my khakis, wanting to play. Natasha pressed her lips to mine and pulled me close.

“Dr. Banner, I think that I may have an early Christmas present that you’ll enjoy very much.”

I smiled as she ran a hand through my hair, tugging lightly against it. I wasn’t even going to begin to tell her how much that turned me on, she already knew.

“Mm, Agent Romanoff, I know I will.”

 I  placed a hand on her baby bump and remembered how happy I was yesterday when I got to see our child, to hear its heartbeat for the first time, and know that everything was going to be okay.

We ate dinner and decorated the remainder of the living area. Then we went into the home theater and watched the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. We took Snowy outside to do her business and then went inside to go to bed.

Snowy settled down immediately. I changed into my flannel pants and a plain white t shirt in the bathroom. When I came out, the lights were dimmed and Natasha was nowhere in sight.

I took a few steps forward and was flipped around and pinned to the bed by my dear Agent Romanoff.

“Merry Christmas Dr. Banner.”, she purred.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I woke up the next morning with Snowy licking my hand and Bruce holding me around my waist.

Bruce stirred beside me and kissed my neck.

“Good morning.”

I rolled over and kissed Bruce. Snowy barked at me and I rolled out of bed, pulled on my bathrobe, snow boots and winter coat. I snapped on Snowy’s leash and took her outside. I came inside and went back to the apartment to take a shower. The little child inside me shifted as I got undressed and took a shower. I got cleaned up and dried my body off, glancing down at my abdomen.

I patted my growing bump, admiring the miracle that was growing inside me.

What if I was a bad mother? I thought about how I only had a year off of work before I would have to go back and pick up where I left off. My job required that I had to be stolid, deadly, smart, and sexy. It also meant that I would be overseas and away from my child and husband. What if I couldn’t do that? What if I was compromised or killed and then the enemy came after Bruce and the baby?

So many what if’s clouded my thoughts and made me upset. So much was at stake now that I wasn’t putting only myself at risk, but an innocent child and Bruce as well.

I shook my head. I could handle myself then and I would always be able to do that. I still couldn’t help but think of what the child would do when they found out that their mother was a murderess.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind as I blow dried my hair. I slipped on my clothes and walked out of the bathroom, hand still on my abdomen and a warm feeling coursing through my veins, mingled with uncertainty.

Bruce was smoothing down his shirt in front of the mirror as I walked over to him and rested my head on his shoulder.

“Morning Bruce.”

He turned to me and kissed my nose.

“Let’s go to breakfast.”

I took Bruce’s hand and we walked to breakfast with Snowy racing ahead of us, eager to get to her food bowl.

“Bruce, I’ve been thinking about the baby. What if it doesn’t like me? I’m not really the motherly type and this baby is going to need someone who’ll be there for them. Once I go back to work, I’ll never be at home to take care of this kid.”

I turned away from Bruce and clutched the handrail, lowering my head so that my hair fell forward in a curtain around my face. I was getting weak. I had to stop crying. Bruce took me by my shoulders and turned me around, pushing the hair away from my face.

“Natasha. Look at me and listen.”, he said in a soft yet steady tone.

I lifted my head and saw the sincerity in his eyes.

“The baby will love you just the way you are and I’m sure Fury will let you work in the country until the child is old enough to understand that their mother is a superhero and saves people’s lives.”

“But Bruce I know you’re nervous too, how on earth do you stay so calm?”

He shrugged and said,

“I’m always worried that the child will inherit the Hulk from me and then hate me for it. I’m so calm because I’m used to calming down the Hulk.”

I placed my hand on his and said,

“We’ll work on this together.”   

The day progressed smoothly as we played games and sang carols. Turns out that Steve and Beth made the perfect duet too, so did Darcy and Loki. We went to a Christmas church service. Bruce and I held hands through most of the service and as I was listening to the sermon, he leaned over and whispered,

“Natasha, you will be an amazing mother.”

“And you’ll be an amazing father. Even if the child has your half. I will always love you and this child.”

Bruce smiled and said,

“And I’ll always love you and the baby too.”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to the folks who know who Clark Griswold is


	18. New Year's Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big day has arrived at last: the wedding of Mr. Tony Stark and Ms. Pepper Potts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own anything.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

 I  straightened my red and gold bowtie and pulled on my jacket in the back room of the cathedral where Tony and Pepper were set to be married in almost forty five minutes.

 Steve, Clint, Phil, Happy, and  Fury were smoothing out their tuxes as Mark Potts, Pepper’s father, helped Thor pull his mane of dirty blonde hair into a low ponytail.

Eugene Paltrow, Pepper’s brother-in-law, brought in the boutonnieres and began pinning them onto the lapels of all the groomsmen.

Loki rushed in with his garment bag and when I looked at him and asked, “Where the hell have you been?”, he pulled off his winter hat and gestured to his new hairstyle.

“My taxi got stuck in traffic. How does my hair look?”

Thor glanced up and said,

“Brother, I hardly recognized you at first glance, but I must say that the look suits you. Why did you cut your hair?”

He shrugged and said,

“It was bothering Darcy and I was always getting tangles in it, so I cut it.”      

I gestured to Loki and then to the dressing room and said,

“Get dressed, we don’t want Tony having a panic attack because you aren't ready, he's got enough stress to deal with as it is.”

Loki nodded and disappeared into the dressing room.

I went up to Tony’s door and knocked twice.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Bruce.”

“Come in.”

I walked in and shut the door behind myself.

Tony was looking in the mirror and trying to tie his bowtie but kept messing up because his hands were shaking so much.

“Do you need a hand there?”, I asked, noticing his struggle.

He nodded and I tied the bowtie in one attempt. Tony mumbled his thanks and then leaned up against the wall.

“Bruce, I am so nervous, it’s not even funny anymore. You remember how I made fun of Thor when he got married and was freaking out?”

I nodded, remembering how jumpy the demigod was before his wedding.

“Well I think of how I made fun of his nerves and it would seem that that ruthless bitch they call karma is coming back to kick my ass for it.”

I smirked and patted my best friend on the shoulder.

“What are you afraid of?”, I asked him.

“Making a fool out of myself, getting the vows wrong, disappointing Pepper and her family, dropping the ring, and doing something wrong. You know me Bruce, I have a history of making myself look like a real ass at special occasions and Pepper, poor Pepper, she's had to pull my ass out of the fire too many times. I've embarrassed her on numerous occasions, I don't want to wind up embarrassing her at her own wedding.”

I sat down in a chair and gestured for Tony to do the same.

“Now,”, I leaned forward to address Tony’s fears, “You won’t make a fool of yourself because you've been in front of large crowds and you're used to the attention and the pressure. You won't get the vows wrong because you've practiced them for a month. You won’t disappoint Pepper because she loves you, you won’t disappoint her family because they trust Pepper’s judgment and they approve of you. You won’t drop the ring because once you get up there, I'm sure that the only person you’re going to be thinking about is Pepper and that will calm you down. You have to be confident and I know you can be, I've seen it before. Besides, you’re sober so you’ll be aware of everything you’re doing. I’m sure Pepper is just as nervous as you are, but she loves you.”  

I glanced at my watch and asked,

“It’s almost time, are you ready to get out there and get married?”

Tony nodded and stood, no longer shaking with anxiety, but drawn up to his full height with his head held high.

“Thanks for the pre-wedding pep talk Bruce.”

I stood and fastened Tony’s boutonniere to the lapel of his jacket.

“I’m sure that you’ll return the favor when it’s my turn.”, I said as he fastened my boutonniere on my lapel.

Steve poked his head in the door.

“The wedding photographer wants to get photos of the groom and groomsmen. The wedding planner says she wants the groom at the front of the church in twenty  minutes. The procession starts in exactly twenty three minutes. You guys ready?”

Tony nodded.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

We got our photos taken and then Tony stood at the doors and waited for a few minutes as he was announced, before all of us groomsmen gave him the thumbs up as he held his head high and walked into the cathedral.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I helped Delilah, Pepper’s sister, and Charlotte, Pepper’s mother attach the veil to the diamond hairclip that pulled back the front strands of her strawberry blonde hair.

She had the rest of her hair cascading in a waterfall of loose curls down her back.

Pepper was very nervous but her mother and sister had already given her a pep talk, so I didn't want to simply repeat what they said.

Charlotte tapped the diamond hairclip and said,

“Something old.”

Pepper pointed to her teardrop earrings.

“Something new.”

Jane came over with an intricately carved box in her hands.

She set it down on the vanity and opened it up to reveal a beautifully crafted gold and diamond necklace.

The diamonds shone with white light until Jane touched it, then they shimmered with a bright green hue, matching the color of the diamond setting in her wedding ring.

She picked it up and fastened it around Pepper’s neck where the diamonds became a rainbow of many colors while she said, a note of humor in her voice,

“Here’s something borrowed, and believe me when I say I want it back before you guys leave on your honeymoon. This was the ‘something new’ I got from Thor’s mother when I got married and, according to Thor, it was hand crafted from the finest materials that Asgard had to offer.”  

Pepper gazed at all the shimmering Asgardian diamonds as Darcy came forward with a blue silk and lace garter in her hands.

“Hey Pepper, hitch your skirt up and I’ll help you put on something blue, unless you can bend over and do it yourself.”, she said with a smirk.        

Pepper nodded, put on the garter, and said,

“Thanks for your help.”

I glanced at the wall clock as Beth came in with our bouquets and said,

“We need to line up and get photos. Tony has gone to the altar.”

I took my special maid of honor bouquet and led the bridesmaids into the foyer of the cathedral.

When the guys saw us, they broke into wide grins but the only one I was focused on was Bruce.

He straightened his cufflinks and said, “Hello beautiful.”, as I walked over to him.

I nodded and said,

“Hello Bruce, you’re looking sharp.”

We got lined up next to each other in order.

Macie and Maxine, Pepper’s five year old twin cousins, would lead the procession as the flower girls.

Pepper’s nephew, Joseph, was the ring-bearer.

He was followed by Fury and Happy, James and Medina Rhodes, Steve and Beth, Thor and Jane,  Eugene and Delilah, Loki and Darcy, Phil and Maria, Clint and Serena, and then Bruce and I.

Pepper’s mother would follow behind us and then there would be a pause as all the guests stood and faced the back as Pepper was escorted down the aisle by her father.

I was told that this wasn't the traditional order and that Tony had changed a few things to ensure that Pepper’s family was included.   

The music started and I recognized it as Canon in D by Pachelbel.  Bruce and I linked our arms as Clint and Serena began to process into the cathedral.

I stole a glance at Pepper who was breathing deeply before the ushers nodded to Bruce and I.

While we were walking down the aisle, I couldn't help but think that I would actually be getting married to Bruce.

I never even thought I would have all this; a baby growing inside me, a permanent home, family and friends, a fiancée, or even a puppy!

I love Bruce with all my heart and just to be blessed with so many good things was more than I could have ever asked for.

Bruce and I broke away from each other at the front of the cathedral and I stood in line with the rest of the bridesmaids.

Tony was looking as calm and collected as ever but I had the feeling that he was probably a nervous wreck on the inside.

The congregation stood and faced the back as Pepper started her walk down the aisle.

She looked so perfect, even blushing as she walked. Her gown suited her very well; off the shoulder with very little detailing and a small train, simple and elegant. When Tony saw her, he broke into a wide grin and mouthed the word ‘wow’, before wiping his eyes quickly.

All of us smiled at his reaction and Bruce patted him on the shoulder.

Mark gave his daughter a final hug and kiss, Tony held out his hand to Pepper and Mark placed her hand in his. I saw Tony mouth the words ‘You look absolutely stunning’.

We sat down and the ceremony began.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join together Tony and Pepper in holy matrimony…”

My eyes met Bruce’s and I smiled at him all through the service.

“I, Tony Stark, take you, Pepper, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. With this ring, I thee wed.”, Tony slipped the wedding band onto Pepper’s finger and grinned as Pepper repeated the vows and slipped Tony’s wedding band onto his ring finger.

I smiled as the priest said,

“By the power vested in me by God and the Great state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”, he nodded to Tony who broke into a wide grin, “You may kiss the bride.”

Tony pulled Pepper close and dipped her as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife. The congregation applauded as they broke apart. The priest announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Stark!”

We proceeded out of the cathedral and stood in the foyer as everyone came by to congratulate the newlyweds.

“That was a lovely service, wasn't it?”, Bruce commented as we waited to have our pictures taken.

I nodded and said,

“I can’t believe that in three months, it’ll be our turn.”

The wedding party climbed into our limousine to head to the reception.

Darcy sat with Loki across from us and said,

“You two lovebirds are next!”

We laughed as Steve slid in awkwardly next to Beth and pulled the door shut, accidentally closing the edge of his scarf in the door. When he rescued his scarf, he glared at us and said, “Not funny guys.”, as Beth giggled beside him.

I held Bruce’s hand through the duration of the car ride. Bruce asked Steve and Beth when they planned on getting married.

Beth smiled and replied,

“Sometime in June or July. Steve wants to wear his uniform at the wedding, I think that would be perfect.”

I patted my baby bump and said,

“I think that’s a great idea, but I’m due on June 24th,  can you try to plan around that? I’d hate to ruin your big day by going into labor in the middle of the ceremony.”

Beth nodded.

“Of course we’ll plan around that! You and Bruce are like family, we’d hate for you to miss the wedding.”

We got out of the limo and found flurries falling from the sky.

I smirked and said,

“Well, they say it’s good luck to have rain on your wedding day. I guess snow is a good substitute.”

Bruce chuckled beside me as we proceeded indoors.

The ballroom itself was huge and the dance floor occupied most of the space. It was surrounded by many circular tables for the guests. The wedding party was going to be seated at a long table that faced the dance floor and could be seen from any place in the room. There was a large open bar on one side of the room. There was red and gold everywhere you turned.

We took our seats at the table and I silently thanked Tony for seating Bruce and I next to each other. Tony and Pepper entered the room and we all applauded the couple as they made their way to our table, kissing before sitting down, as tradition called for.

The waiters brought out the food and we ate, talked, laughed, and acted like one big happy family.

After the dishes were cleared, Bruce got up as the DJ handed him a microphone to make his Best Man’s speech.

The room fell silent as Bruce tapped the microphone and cleared his throat.

I glanced around at the guards in uniform by all the doors and I felt much safer, even if I was concealing two guns and four knives on my person.

Thank God that Tony had tightened security.

SHIELD agents were undercover here and they were guarding the doors inconspicuously.

Everyone’s bags had been searched upon arrival and they had to step through a metal detector. I had been exempt from the search because I was a member of SHIELD.

There was a strict ‘no photography and no recording of any kind’ rule in place to prevent the Stark wedding reception from making even bigger international news.

“Uh, Hello. My name is Dr. Bruce Banner, I’m Tony’s best man and fellow Avenger. I met Tony one week prior to the Battle of New York. I still remember his first few words to me, "It’s good to meet you, Dr. Banner, your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled and I’m a huge fan of the way you turn into an enormous green rage monster.". It was the first time I actually had a friend since my lab accident. He took me under his wing, gave me a home, and a second chance at living. I owe Tony my life and I consider him my brother. When I found out that Tony wanted to propose to Pepper, I gladly helped him to plan the engagement party. I saw how much Pepper meant to him from the first time we worked together in the lab at Avengers Tower where he kept a photo of Pepper on his desk at all times. He may not have shown it outwardly, but throughout it all, he thought about Pepper. Pepper Stark,”, Bruce turned to Pepper and said, “You are Tony’s whole world.”, He pointed at Tony, “Tony Stark, you are one lucky man. You and Pepper will be very happy together.” , He raised his glass and toasted them, “To Mr. and Mrs. Stark!”.

He sat down as I got up to give me my Maid of Honor speech, I wouldn't have to use a fake name to protect my identity this time.

“Hello, my name is Natasha Romanoff and I’m the Maid of Honor. I don’t like to mince words, so I’ll get right to the point. I would like to say that  Pepper opened her home, heart, and her closet to me when I needed it the most. She was the first person to welcome me home and I am honored to be here. As for Tony, well, thank you for everything. You’re an amazing teammate. It’s  true that Pepper is his whole world”, I turned to her and Tony, lifted my glass of water and said, “these two deserve the very best wishes on their special day, here’s to the Starks!”

The rest of the speeches flew by. Soon it was time for Tony and Pepper to have their first dance as husband and wife together.

They swayed alone in the middle of the floor to ‘L-O-V-E’ by Nat King Cole. I was amazed, I only thought Tony listened to classic rock and that Pepper didn’t really have a favorite genre, I never knew they both liked jazz.

They kissed at the end of the song and then cut the cake.

I laughed when Pepper shoved cake in Tony’s face and he returned the favor, only to have a chunk of it fall into the front of Pepper’s dress.

Pepper had her father daughter dance as I looked on, realizing that I would never have an actual father daughter dance and I kind of felt sorry for myself.

The DJ turned up a fast song and then the party got started.

I sat in the corner and sipped my seltzer water as I witnessed Maria and Phil doing some sort of tango, Steve being taught how to wop by Beth, Darcy teaching Loki how to shuffle, and Thor was trying to show Jane how to do some type of Asgardian two-step.

Clint requested a song called the Harlem Shake and I laughed my ass off with Serena as Clint started doing the worm.

Fury watched the spectacle from the bar and shook his head as he ordered another scotch.

Bruce had gone to discuss some scientific stuff with Tony and would be back soon. For now, I was left with my thoughts.

I patted my growing bump and looked down. I wondered if it knew who I was. I didn’t care what the gender would be, I would love them just the same.

I had started to think of baby names with Bruce.

If it was a boy, Bruce had suggested the names Flynn and Brandon. I had suggested the names Ben and Robert.

He had suggested the girl’s names Rebecca, Grace and Cynthia. Those names were very important to him because his mother’s first name was Rebecca, his sister’s name was Grace and both of their middle names had been Cynthia. I suggested the names Tatiana and Anastasia.

I wanted to bring out a bit of the Russian blood that this child had inherited from me, so I thought of the best Russian girl’s names, including my own middle name. 

A slow song came on called ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perry. And I watched the couples form as someone tapped me on my shoulder.

“May I have this dance, my dear?”, Bruce smiled at me and held out his hand, which I took and I let him lead me to the floor.

He wrapped me in his warm embrace as we swayed gently. He pulled me close and I rested my head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. He planted a kiss on my forehead and whispered,

“My dear, you are absolutely stunning.”

I looked down at my baby bump with a smirk on my face.

“I am getting bigger.”

He tipped my chin upward and gazed lovingly at me.

“You are beautiful, no matter what. The baby bump just means three things. One, that an assassin can also be the motherly sort. Two, you’re glowing. Three, there is more of you to love. I never understood why Thor was so happy when Jane was pregnant and now that I find myself in the same situation, I finally understand what made him smile.”

I tilted my head to one side.

“And what made him smile?”, I asked.

He peered at me over his glasses and said,

“I have never seen anything more beautiful than the woman I love with all my heart and soul carrying our child. To see her smile with excitement as she feels the baby moving inside her just brightens my day and makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.”

I kissed him, putting every ounce of emotion that I had into it and when we broke apart, I whispered,

“I’m glad I can brighten your day.”

“You always will.”

The song ended and we walked back to our table. Steve and Beth came over and sat down.

Steve shook his head and loosened his bowtie.

“Phew, these newer dances sure take a lot out of a person, I can’t see how Darcy and Loki do it.”

He glanced out at the dance floor and saw Darcy with her hair messed up, obviously a bit on the buzzed side and Loki with his dress shirt halfway unbuttoned and a bit more than buzzed. Both of them were sweating while they were doing some weird dance move. Steve shook his head and threw his hands up in the air.

“What type of dance is that anyway?”

Beth looked exhausted as she picked her head up off the table and said,

“It’s called Krumping dear, and they’re doing it perfectly.”

From across the room, someone shouted,

“Hey!! It’s almost midnight!!!!”

The room became a sea of iPhone screens as people went to check the time. Bruce pulled his phone out and said, “It’s 11:57… thank goodness that person said something, we would’ve missed midnight if they hadn’t.”

Beth lifted her head and Steve pulled himself to his feet, holding out his hand to her.

“So what do you say Beth? One last slow dance of 2013?”

She smiled as he led her to the floor. Bruce looked at me, nodded to the dance floor and asked,

“Want to dance?”

I nodded as we walked out onto the floor and swayed next to Darcy and Loki.

Soon someone yelled, “10. 9.8…”, and the rest of the guests began chanting down, “5.4.3.2.1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!”, we all shouted.

I turned to Bruce and we said, “Happy New Year!”, to each other at the same time.  

He pulled me close and we kissed.

The DJ announced that the bride and groom would be making their final goodbyes before heading off on their month long honeymoon on Tony’s private island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. We ran over and embraced the newlyweds and said our goodbyes. Pepper took the microphone from the DJ.

“I’d like to thank all of you for coming here today. Happy New Year! Before  Tony and I leave, there are two traditions that must be taken care of!”

Tony grabbed the microphone and said,

“The Garter toss!! Get ready gentlemen!!!”

The dance floor was cleared and Pepper sat on a chair in the middle of the floor giggling madly as Tony walked over to Bruce and pulled off his bowtie and then faced Pepper and gave her a seductive grin as he walked towards her slowly. Pepper lifted the hem of her gown to her knee as Tony tied the bowtie around his eyes and got on his knees in front of Pepper. Steve asked me,

“What is he doing?”

“Just watch, you’ll have to learn what to do for your wedding.”, I said, elbowing the  super soldier and I laughed as his eyes widened.

“I have to go up her skirt? In public? To get her garter? With my teeth? Blindfolded?”

Tony ripped the bowtie off and held up the garter with a triumphant yell, stretched it back, yelling, “GET IT GENTS!!!!”, and fired. It landed in Fury's drink and Fury held it up and flung the garter into Loki's hands, who held it up and asked,

“Now what?”

Pepper got up and grabbed her bouquet, stood on a table and yelled over all the screaming ladies, “CATCH IT!!”, before closing her eyes and chucking it as hard as she could.

Darcy jumped up and caught it. I stared at the demigod’s widening eyes as she explained to Loki what the tradition meant.

I turned to Bruce and said,

“Let’s try to have the happiest New Year ever.”

He kissed me and said,

“I don’t need to try, I already know we will.”


	19. Bruce's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Natasha celebrate February 14th in a special way; not only is it Valentine's Day, but it's also Bruce's birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!  
> I own nothing.  
> There is adult content in this chapter, but it is at the end and is very minor, but it's still enough to give you a warning.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

 “Bruce!!”, Natasha called out to me from the bedroom as I was flossing my teeth.

“Yes?”

“Tony’s on the phone, he wants to talk to you.”

“I’ll only be a minute!”

Tony and Pepper were almost finished their month and a half long honeymoon (Pepper had fallen in love with Rio and had asked Tony to extend their honeymoon an extra two weeks).

Tony’s absence had its ups and downs. It was lonely in the lab without him there to keep me company and I missed having someone to talk to about science.

On the upside, I hadn’t heard the phrases: ‘Fire in the hole!!!’, ‘Duck and cover!!!’,  and ‘Grab the extinguisher!!!’ in almost six weeks. My lab coat hadn’t been set on fire either, so that was great. 

I took the phone from Natasha.

“Hey Tony, how’s the honeymoon?”

“It’s excellent Bruce! You and Natasha would love it here, but you’ve already decided on going to Bermuda. Anyways, I called to ask you what you want for your birthday, I read your file and your birthday is in two days. I didn’t know you were born on Valentine’s Day?! So what do you want? A car? Lab coats? Piano? You name it, I’ll buy it.”

“Well… I haven’t had a vehicle since…well, before my accident.”, I paced to the sofa sat down on it, Snowy came running over to sit next to me and I scratched her behind her ear. I smiled as she licked my hand.

“Tell you what, you tell me what vehicle you want, I get it for you and then Pepper wants to surprise you with something….unless you’d rather know now?”

“Sure, I’m not too fond of surprises.”

“Okay then. Pepper is sending you and Natasha on a Valentine’s Day getaway to our lodge in Vermont.”

“Wow Vermont? It sounds-”

“Romantic? Relaxing? Cozy? That’s what Pepper had in mind.”, Tony cut me off.

“It sounds very romantic, relaxing, cozy, and…It sounds like the best birthday gift I’ve ever had. I think Natasha will like that and I know that I’ll enjoy the time to relax.”

“Great!! What car did you want? Ferrari? Bugatti? Aston Martin?”

I glanced at Natasha who was laying on the bed and reading the book ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’.

She was so beautiful and I watched as she twirled a strand of her red hair around her finger and bit her lip absentmindedly.

I thought of my dream to live in the suburbs with her, raise a few kids, and start a family.

If that was going to become a reality, we would need a bigger car than Natasha’s Camaro. I didn’t need a fancy sports car but we would need a family vehicle that was big enough for at least four people and one that had room for a pet carrier.

“Natasha?”

She looked up from her reading, brows raised.

“How do you feel about getting a family vehicle?”

She broke into a wide grin and nodded.

“Is Tony buying you one?”

“Yeah. Any requests?”

“Ooh, what about that GMC Acadia? We both liked that one and it’ll have plenty of room for Snowy and seats for when the baby comes.”

  I grinned.

“As long as I can get it in a dark purple.”

She smiled and said,

“Of course, it’s your car.”

Tony replied from the other end of the line,

“You don’t need to say a word, I heard it all. One dark purple GMC Acadia with all the bells and whistles coming right up. I wonder what Natasha is getting you for your birthday… any ideas?”

I could almost picture Tony wiggling his eyebrows and giving me this look that says _‘I know you’re going to get laid’_.

“Really Tony?”

“What? It was an honest question!”

“I have a few ideas. Now I’m pretty tired, so I’d like to thank you for the gifts and now I’d like to get some sleep.”

“No problem Bruce, I’ll send a company car to pick you two up for your getaway. You leave on Valentine’s Day morning, just as my jet lands at LaGuardia. Send my best to Natasha.”

“Bye.”, I said and ended the call.

“So what’s new with the Starks?”

“Oh they’re happy as can be in Rio. Um, Natasha, how do you feel about spending Valentine’s day with me in a cozy lodge in Vermont?”

Natasha smiled and kissed me as I slid into bed next to her.

“As long as we can bring Snowy. It won’t be a deal-breaker if she can’t come, but I will be a little miffed.”

Snowy heard her name and bounded up onto our bed, curling up at our feet.

I smiled and said,

Of course we can bring Snowy. Tony didn’t say that we couldn’t, but just to be sure, I’ll text him tomorrow.”

“Okay, I- ooh”, Natasha’s hand flew to her abdomen and she said, “The little one has never kicked me that hard before. Maybe you can feel it now…Here,” she placed my hand on her bump, “Do you feel it?”

I felt a kick to my hand and then I murmured in amazement,

“Natasha, I- I felt it… it, the baby, kicked me.”

“Well I’m only about sixteen weeks along, so that works out fairly well.”

 I was still amazed at the tiny miracle that was growing inside of her, how it had mustered the strength to move. It’s like the baby somehow knew that I had been waiting for this moment since the day Natasha had come to me in the lab and told me she was pregnant again.

I smiled and kissed Natasha.

“Bruce? Are you going to be okay?”

I nodded.

“I don’t think I have ever been happier in my life.”, I said as I fell back against the pillows.

Natasha put her head on my chest and I could tell that she was listening to my heartbeat.

“Why do you always do that?”, I asked.

“Do what?”

“Listen to my heartbeat.”

She planted a kiss on my cheek and replied,

“It’s calming to me.”

“Oh.” , I stroked her hair as she laid her head back down on my chest and closed her eyes.

“Why do you always stroke my hair?”, she asked softly.

I switched off the bedside lamp and replied,

“It’s calming to me.”

She yawned.

“Goodnight Bruce. I love you.”

“Goodnight Natasha. I love you too.”

_“Bruce?”_

_I opened my eyes and found myself at one end of a long hallway with an unmarked door at the other end._

_“Natasha?”_

_“Bruce? Where are you, especially now that I need you more than ever?”, Natasha’s voice seemed to echo around the hall._

_I began to run down the hall but the door never got any closer. I suddenly found myself in a hospital room, doctors and nurses hurried around me and crowded around the bed._

_I pushed my way to the bed and saw Natasha laying there. She was pale, suffering from blood loss, tired, and in a great deal of pain. She was obviously in hard labor and when she saw me, she grabbed my hand and squeezed. She was getting weaker and I could tell that if the baby wasn’t born soon, I could risk losing both of them._

_The doctors were urging her to push, telling her that it was almost over and that now was not the time to rest._

_“Come on Natasha, push, you can do it.”, I urged as I wiped the sweat off of her forehead._

_“Bruce…It hurts really bad…I don’t think I can do this…I’m so tired…”, she said in a weary voice._

_“No…Natasha, you have to be strong, please.”, I pleaded with her. I couldn’t lose her, not like this._

_Her grip on my hand  was slackening, her hand going limp in mine. Her heart monitor started beeping faster. This wasn’t a good sign._

_“Bruce…I want to…to rest a while…”, she whispered hoarsely._

_The doctors and nurses around me started to say things like, ‘Her blood pressure is dropping.’, ‘She’s giving up.’, and  ‘Get her husband out of here…’._

_Someone put a hand on my shoulder,_

_“Dr. Banner? You have to leave the room.”_

_“No!”, I insisted, “I’m not leaving her side!!”_

_I gazed down at Natasha as she mustered what little strength she had left in her and gave a final push, delivering the baby, and falling back on the pillows._

_She smiled faintly as she heard our newborn child’s cries and I smiled too. Our child was alive and okay. Natasha coughed and I turned my attention back to her. She was fading fast, the color was draining from her already pale  face._

_“Bruce…I love….”, Her hand slipped away from mine and her eyelids closed._

_“No… Natasha, please, please…”, I shook my head, blinking away tears, and watched in desperation as she flatlined, “…don’t leave me…”_

_“Dr. Banner?”_

_The nurses began to use a defibrillator on Natasha and I watched as she remained in a limp state._

_“CLEAR!”_

_Her body jolted with the shock and fell limp._

_“Please come back to me…”_

_“Dr. Banner, we’re so sorry…”_

_“CLEAR!!”_

_I fell to my knees and looked up, wondering what I did wrong to deserve this pure and unadulterated form of hell. I wouldn’t let the doctors say that she was dead… there is no way she could be, she was too strong to just be gone like that._

_“CLEAR!!!”_

_The steady tone of the heart monitor continued._

_“Dr. Banner, Natasha is dead.”_

I jolted up out of bed with a yell and placed my head in my hands.

The Hulk was fighting me for control and if I hadn’t woken up when I did, I would probably need to get to the unit.

 Natasha woke with a start, sat up, and embraced me.

“Bruce!! What’s wrong?”

I had to calm down, it was just a nightmare. Just a horrible nightmare.

“Was it a nightmare?”, she asked and rubbed my back.

I nodded.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It was so vivid and you…”, I trailed off, the images of her lifeless body still fresh in my mind’s eye.

Natasha ran a hand through my hair as she laid my head in her lap.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“Thanks.”

She continued to stroke my hair as I steadied my breathing.

“I’m afraid too.”, she murmured.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m afraid that something will go wrong with the baby, that I won’t be able to give you the family you always wanted.”

I sat up and placed my hand on her abdomen, feeling our child shift inside her and I said,

“Nothing will happen, we’re doing everything right. Dr. H says the baby is healthy, no traces of radiation in the amniotic fluid, and that, in four months, we’ll be parents.”

I felt like I was reassuring myself that everything was okay. The Hulk seemed to quiet down a little as I took another deep breath.

 “It is February 13th, in a little more than a month, I will take you as my wife. I remember the promise I made to you in Hawaii, to always be by your side. I remember what happened in Calcutta, how I fell in love with you in that split second it took for me to see what you would do if I scared you.”

I thought back to the one fragment of memory from the Helicarrier incident; her swearing on her life.

 “I remember when I was in the middle of my transformation on the Helicarrier, you swore on your life that I would be okay, that I would walk away. I walked away from the idea that I didn’t have a reason to live, but there are three things I will never walk away from.”, I softly pressed my lips to hers, “I will never walk away from  my friends, our child, or you.”,  I said as I looked into her eyes.

She laid down again and I faced her in the dark as she whispered, “I love you.”

I pulled the comforter up to cover us and she kissed my nose

That was all I needed to be able to sleep soundly.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

The next day was spent packing and then Steve gathered all of the ladies together to sketch a portrait that he wanted to call ‘The Ladies of Avenger’s Tower’. So I sat with Jane, Maria, Serena, Darcy, and Beth while Steve sketched the rough outline that he would use for his oil painting (Pepper would be drawn in separately).

“So, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day?”, Darcy asked.

“Bruce and I are going to the Stark’s lodge in Vermont for the weekend.”, I replied.

“Wow, that’s awesome!”, Beth said.

“Yeah, it’s Bruce’s birthday present from Pepper.”, I said.

Serena gasped.

“I didn’t know tomorrow was Bruce’s birthday!! We should do something tonight! I’ll get Clint and we’ll go to the mall after we’re done here.”

Jane nodded and asked,

“What does Bruce want?”

“Lab coats, Tony is always setting his on fire.”

“Thank God,”, Jane said, “I thought I was the only one that got their stuff ruined by him.”

Maria laughed.

“No, you’re not the only one. Tony hacked into my computer and changed my desktop photo from the wedding photo of Phil and I to a photo of a drunken Phil hanging off of Steve when they went out for Tony’s bachelor party.”

We all had a good laugh at that and Steve scowled.

“Would you all please stop moving around?!?”

Darcy shot off a snappy salute,  “Yes sir, Mr. Captain America!”, and we all burst out laughing again. 

  I was a bit upset when Pepper called up and explained to Bruce and I that she had some irreplaceable oriental rugs and artwork at the lodge and that Snowy wouldn’t be able to come with us. Loki and Darcy had agreed to watch Snowy for the weekend. I went to the dance studio with Bruce later that day and we decided on what to play as our first dance as Dr. and Mrs. Banner.

We had chosen a song called  ‘A Love That Will Last’ by Renee Olstead, Bruce had heard the song when he was helping Pepper and Tony find a song to use as their first dance. He had suggested it and when I listened to it, I loved it and we decided it was the one to use.

“Natasha?”, he asked as he spun me around.

“Yes?”

“What do you want to do this weekend when we’re at the lodge? We can’t go skiing or anything…well you can’t and I’m not going to do it alone.”, he said with a smile.

“I don’t know, but…” I fixed him with a seductive gaze as I leaned in and whispered, “I do know that tomorrow is your birthday…”

“Why yes it is….”, I felt him smile against my lips.

“What do you want for your birthday?”

“Hmm….let me think… just you, Agent Romanoff.”

I laughed as he tickled me.

“Ahhh!!! Bruce!! Ohmygosh, stop!!!”

“Fine, Fine…”, he smirked and kissed my forehead.

We danced some more and then decided to go upstairs for dinner.   

    When we got there, we were greeted by Thor who was carrying Liz.

“Sir Bruce! Tomorrow is your day of birth, but Lady Beth has informed me that tomorrow you will be traveling to the lodge in Vermont to spend the end of the week with Lady Natasha. So we have decided to have a small celebration tonight.”

Bruce asked,

“How did you find out about my birthday being tomorrow?”

 “I told the ladies when we were in that sketching session with Steve. I thought it would be nice for us to celebrate your birthday because we forgot it last year. Even though you weren’t upset over it, I think we all felt really guilty for not celebrating, I know Clint and I missed it because we were in London taking care of a mark. I know I felt really bad for forgetting. This year, I wanted to make sure that we didn’t forget, so we’re celebrating tonight. Happy Birthday Bruce!”, I said, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Bruce smiled and thanked me as we headed over to the sofa where everyone was gathered.

“Happy Birthday!!!”, they chorused.

We sat and Bruce opened his presents.

Thor and Jane got him a set of lab coats since Tony had a habit of  setting his old coats on fire. Loki and Darcy got him a set of silver cufflinks. Steve had sketched Bruce, Snowy, and I from memory, framed the drawing, and gave it to him. Beth made dinner and baked a cake. Clint  and Serena got him a box of scientific gag gifts including a shower curtain with the periodic table of elements on it. Phil and Maria got him a Swiss army knife and a book of sheet music for the piano. Fury gave him a digital watch and some science books. We decided to watch Bruce’s favorite movie, ‘Weird Science’.

The next day, Bruce and I said goodbye to Snowy who could’ve probably cared less that we were leaving because she loved all the attention that Loki and Darcy gave her.

“I still wish we could’ve brought her along.”, I muttered as we waited in the front lobby of the tower for the company car that Tony was sending for us.

Bruce nodded as he pushed his suitcase back and forth with his foot.

“Hello Bruce!!”, Tony said as he walked into the lobby with Pepper on his arm. He waved an arm around and said, “Ah, it’s good to be home, not that Rio wasn’t any fun.”

I got up with Bruce and we embraced them, welcoming them back.

Pepper held both my hands and looked at my considerably larger baby bump.

“Wow, look at you. Natasha, you’re so radiant!”, she grinned, “When are you due again?”

“June 24th.”, I replied as I gave Tony a hug. “You’re looking so much tanner, both of you.”, I said and gestured between the Starks.

Tony nodded and said,

 “Your ride is waiting outside, we couldn’t get a company car…”, He pointed out the front window and handed Bruce a set of car keys with a tag that read ‘#26’ on it, “I hope you don’t mind that we drove back from the airport in your new GMC Acadia...”

Bruce shook his head and pulled his best friend into a hug.

“Get going you two!”, Tony smirked and waved us out.

“Thanks you guys!!”, Bruce and I yelled as we walked out.

Soon we were on our way out of the state and Bruce was very comfortable behind the wheel, not jumpy like he was whenever he drove my car.

Bruce had told me before that he didn’t quite have the need for speed that I did when I was driving, so whenever he revved the engine in my car, he got a bit anxious.

We had the radio on and I was singing all the songs that I knew. Bruce smiled as I sang and I asked,

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing, I’m not laughing, it’s just that…”, he blushed a bit and continued, “You have a beautiful singing voice.”

It was my turn to blush now,

“Thanks, I always thought my voice was pitchy and off-key.”

“Whoever put that thought in your mind was far from the truth.”, he said honestly.

I gazed out the window at the snow-covered Vermont  landscape that was flying by. 

 “Is that the lodge?”, Bruce asked as the GPS told him to turn left to go up a winding driveway to a pretty good sized chalet style house, too small to be considered a mansion, but very expensive looking nonetheless.

I noticed the high iron fence around the property and there was a stone arch over the main gate.

We drove to the gate and it ended up being the Stark’s lodge.  We were let in by Jarvis so we could park and unload our bags.

When we walked in the front door, I was in awe at the high ceilings and at all the artwork.

“Wow, this place is huge!”, Bruce exclaimed. “How does he afford all of this?”

“The late Mr. Stark was just as much of a genius and a successful businessman as the current Mr. Stark is. He invented a bunch of highly profitable weapons and the robots that aided in the mass production of them. When his son, Mr. Tony Stark, took over, he brought forth new inventions that became highly valuable.”, Jarvis spoke from overhead.

  “Thanks Jarvis.”, Bruce said.

I walked upstairs to the master bedroom and thought about my ‘gift’ to Bruce with a smirk on my face. I knew what I wanted to give him for his birthday, after all it’s the same thing I'd want for mine.

When it came to making love, Bruce was gifted. It had taken some time for him to get over his fear of the Hulk taking over in a sexual situation. We had gone very slowly the first few times, aside from our very first time in Hawaii (both of us had been too wasted to care about the pace), and Bruce had gradually become more comfortable in bed. I was always patient with him and I only took over when I was sure he was okay with it.

Bruce was always so gentle with me compared to all my past experiences. It was like he was afraid of accidentally breaking me if he was rough. I liked it though. His gentle actions were always laced with the fire and passion that only he could make me feel.

I unpacked and smiled as he came into the room and did the same.

“Natasha?”, he asked in a soft voice.

“Yes?”

“Why me?”

I turned and found him sitting on the edge of the bed.

“What do you mean?”

He shrugged and said,

“Well I looked in the mirror this morning and realized that I was old compared to you.”

I sat down next to him.

“How so?”

“How old are you?”, he asked me, even though he already knew.

“Last time I checked, I was twenty seven.”

“You do realize that my aging process slowed down because of the gamma radiation… right?”, he said as he took my hand in his.

“I didn’t know that…”, I said, honestly surprised.

“Well it did. I practically stopped aging nearly nine years ago.”

“So how old are you now?”

He sighed and pulled off his glasses.

“Physically, I’m still thirty five. Mentally, I’m forty four. That’s a fourteen year age difference. Doesn’t that bother you at all? I’m going gray and soon I’ll be getting wrinkles while you'll be such a beautiful young woman who is so full of life and spirit.”

I placed a hand on his leg and looked him in the eye.

“No. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest because I don’t just love you because of the way you look, I love you for what’s inside you.”

He lowered his head and I took his hand in mine, running my thumb over the back of his hand in a gentle caress.

“Bruce Banner, you are a smart, sensitive, and caring man. You are also stronger than you give yourself credit for. When I miscarried, I remember how you never left my side. A lesser man would’ve left me and put himself first. You may not see it, but you are a very handsome man. I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

He smiled and said,

“Natasha, I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

I pulled him close and said,

“I know I would be lost.”

 He kissed me slowly and pushed me down onto the mattress gently, running his tongue along my lower lip. I moaned involuntarily as he kissed my neck and I knew he was smiling. I ran my hand through his soft curls and tugged gently, and smiled as he softly bit the skin at the base of my neck. That was his way of telling me he was turned on. I unbuttoned and pushed his shirt off and he stopped kissing me to take my top off.

I murmured,

“Jarvis, dim the lights.”

The AI didn’t  say a word as the lights dimmed.

I kicked off my boots and Bruce did the same. I gasped as Bruce started grinding into my thigh. I moved my hands lower and got rid of his jeans, flipping him over as I went.

It was my turn to grind on him and he moaned my name.

I leaned down as he unhooked my bra, tossing it aside. I pulled my jeans off and the rest of our clothes followed in a rush of movement.

I bit his ear gently and purred,  “Happy birthday Bruce.”, before I gasped as he flipped me over and pushed his hips against mine.

“Happy Valentine’s day Natasha.”

* * *

  _  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you! Please leave a comment and tell me how I'm doing so that I can improve!  
> Next Chapter is the Bachelor and Bachelorette parties!


	20. Ladies & Gentlemen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys take Bruce out for his bachelor party and the girls take Natasha out for her bachelorette party. drunken revelry ensues

 

 

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I was getting very nervous lately, and I don’t mean ‘there’s-butterflies-in-my-stomach’ nervous, I mean nervous as in ‘my-insides-are-turning-inside-out’.

It was March 15th, in less than a week I would marry Bruce. The rational half of my brain was wondering why I was letting myself become so anxious, after all, I love Bruce with every fiber of my being. The irrational half of my brain was asking me why I wasn’t running as fast as I could in the opposite direction. It was telling me that the Black Widow couldn’t be tied down and that love was for children.

I was having an internal battle and I was currently losing. The hormones of being five months pregnant were making me positively insane.

I was eating everything in sight, my ankles were starting to ache, and I couldn’t fit behind the wheel of my car comfortably anymore. I could care less if I had a few stretch marks here and there because, according to Dr. H, every pregnant woman got them at some point and they would go away in the months after I gave birth.

Jane was the only one who could truly feel some sympathy for me and in the past few weeks I think I talked to her more than any other woman in the tower.  But the one thing that really annoyed the shit out of me was the constant mood swings.

I would be happy one minute, bawling my eyes out the next, and then I’d get angry for no apparent reason. It was tearing me apart and I hated it.

 Last week, I yelled at Bruce for spending the whole day in the lab with Tony. He just stood there with a stolid expression and let me chew his head off, not saying a word as I yelled at him for being inconsiderate. After my rant, he broke his silence and told me in a very low yet even voice, that he would be in the library if I wanted to talk. When I calmed down, I remembered how he had told me the night before that he would be in the lab for the better part of the day helping Tony with the complex calibration of the new Iron Man suit. I felt so bad that I went to the library and found Bruce absorbed in a book about some kind of complex science. I went over to him and apologized. He smiled and forgave me, but I felt like a horrible person for yelling at him.  

 I had cried my eyes out the last four times that Bruce and the boys had gone out on a call and every time I would watch the live feed from the tower, I would have to take off my headset and cry as I heard the Hulk asking where his Natasha was.

The Hulk loved the baby and I more than life itself and it was hard to believe that this time last year I was  scared out of my wits whenever the Hulk would make an appearance in a battle. Whenever Bruce would Hulk out in the unit, I would sit in the soundproofed room that housed the unit and talk to the Hulk.  The Hulk would tell me how I was pretty and how much Bruce loved me. He would press one finger to the glass of his unit and I would put my hand on the glass as he would say things like, “Pretty Natasha, beautiful with baby, Bruce love both, Hulk love and protect both always.”.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by all the ladies coming up to me in the kitchen where I was in the middle of eating a fruit salad.

Darcy placed both hands on the counter and said,

“Natasha, we’re taking you out tonight to have a little fun before you get hitched, so get ready to party.”

Her statement caught me by surprise and I asked,

“Uh is this really necessary?”

Pepper nodded and said,

“The guys are dragging Bruce to a gentlemen’s club tonight for his ‘Last hurrah’, as Tony put it,  so we’re doing the same thing. We know you can’t drink, so we’re going to try and have a sober-ish outing.”

Serena added,

“But I’m still going to do shots with Maria because that’s our thing.”

“Actually, I haven’t had an alcoholic drink since Valentine’s Day.”, Maria interjected.

We all looked at her and Beth broke the silence with the question all of us were dying to ask.

“Oh my gosh! Are you pregnant?”

She shook her head and said,

“No…well, I wish I was. Phil and I have been trying to conceive and we haven’t been having all the luck in the world with that, so I decided that drinking would just hurt our chances.”

Serena patted her friend on the shoulder and smiled.

“You’re going to make a great mum someday.”

 Pepper turned back to me and said,

“We’re going to the same club that you all took me to for my bachelorette party. We’re leaving at seven, so that gives you two hours to get ready.”

“Do I have a choice?”, I asked.

They all replied, “Nope.”, in unison as they exited the kitchen.

I stared at the remainder of my fruit salad and sighed because I had just lost my appetite. I ate the rest of it halfheartedly and washed my dishes.

I went back to the floor that Bruce and I shared to get cleaned up for tonight. If I didn’t have a choice then I suppose I should humor my friends and try to have a good time.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I was driving home from the tailor with the tuxedos when my phone rang. I pressed the answer button on the steering wheel and activated the hands-free call feature in my car.

“Hello?”

“Hey it’s Tony,  where are you?”

“In my car, heading back from the tailor. I just picked up the tuxes and a few other things like the cufflinks and ties. What’s up?”

“The guys and I are kidnapping you tonight. We’re going to the club for your bachelor party.”

I groaned internally.

Even when I was in college, places like nightclubs (especially gentlemen’s nightclubs) didn’t really come off as appealing to me.

“Bruce? You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“We’re leaving at seven thirty, half an hour after the girls leave for the club. I bought a keg, so get ready to turn up!!”

“Dear God, please tell me that you don’t plan on us drinking that entire thing?”

“Hey, if memory serves me right, we ran out of beer at my party because a demigod and a frost giant wanted to see who could be the champion of the keg stand.”

“Do you remember what happened after that?”

“Nope! I didn’t need to because Steve told me I started to work the pole better than the strippers. That tells me that I had fun.”

I pulled into the garage and sighed.

“I’ll go but you have to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You find someone trustworthy to watch Snowy for us.”

“Consider it done. Dr. Selvig has already agreed to watch Ed and Liz, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind watching your pooch for the evening.”

“I’ll be up in a sec with your tux and I’ll meet you in the lobby at seven twenty.”

“Roger that, actually... bring my tux up to the penthouse and don’t worry about the password, I’ll have Jarvis let you in. I need to talk to you.”, his voice turned serious at the end.

I ended the call and rode up to the four level penthouse where Tony and Pepper lived. Tony greeted me as I got off the elevator.

“Thanks for picking up my tux. I actually wanted to have a quick word with you if you don’t mind.”, he said, gesturing to the sofa, voice still even.

I shook my head as I sat down on the sofa.

“I’m all ears.”    

“Great…”, Tony said, sitting in the chair across from me. “It’s really important that this conversation stays between us.”

I nodded.

Tony put his head in his hands and said,

“I don’t know how to tell Pepper this but I got myself tested and…”, he trailed off.

“And what?”, I asked.

Tony looked up and I could tell that something was really wrong by the expression on his face.

“And what?”, I repeated.

“I don’t think I can have children.”, Tony said in a low voice, looking at his feet.

“Well, did you try to get Pepper pregnant? Does she even want children?”, I asked.

“She wants them, but not just yet. She wants to go off of her pill and to stop using protection in about September. Then we’ll start trying to conceive.”

“Then what makes you think that you can’t have kids?”

“I read somewhere that heavy drinking and other factors like genetics can  result in low sperm count, so I got myself tested and the results came back. Turns out that I do have a low sperm count and that my chances of actually getting Pepper pregnant aren’t that great. I remember hearing my parents talking to each other when I was little about trying to have another child so I wouldn’t be lonesome and my father, he reminded my mother about how  it was lucky that they were even able to have me.”,  Tony shook his head, “At that time, I didn’t understand what my father meant by that, but I know now and I just feel like I failed.”

“I’m really sorry to hear that.”, I said, feeling useless for not being able to say something to make him feel better.

“Bruce, what am I going to tell Pepper? She’s going to find out sooner or later, and when she does…”, It was then that he lost it and broke down in tears.

I could handle it when Natasha cried because I knew how to cheer her up, but when it came to Tony or anyone else, I was pretty lost.

“Uh…Tony? Are you going to be okay?”, I asked warily.

He didn’t look up at me as he said,

“I don’t want to risk losing her… she means the world to me and I don’t know where I would be without her. She wants a family and I want to give her one more than anything. The problem is, I’ve tried to stop drinking in the past, and I did for a little while but it was difficult.”, the billionaire wiped his eyes and let out a short bark of laughter, “I guess tonight is my last hurrah too.”

I patted my friend on the shoulder and said,

“I’ll help you out, addiction is a tough thing to get over, trust me.”

Tony looked up at me and quirked an eyebrow.

“You had issues with addiction?”

“Yes and no. In the months after my accident, I turned into a suicidal mess. Before I tried shooting myself, I tried to overdose on painkillers. I decided to help people, but only after I found out that the Hulk couldn’t be killed, and it took some time to get myself off of the painkillers, but I did it and now I’m exactly where I want to be. I’ll help keep you on the right path because overcoming anything from a fear to an addiction is always easier when you know there are people who believe in you.”

“Thanks Bruce.”, he smiled and looked at his watch, “Crap look at the time! I have to take a shower and get Pepper to change my arc reactor! I’ll see you in a few hours!”

I stood and decided to get something to eat before getting dressed ‘to turn up’ as Tony so eloquently put it.

I wonder where Natasha is…   

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I was taking a shower and studying the periodic table of elements when I heard Bruce open the door to our apartment.

“Nat? You home?”, he called.

“I’m in the shower right now, but I’ll be out in no time!”, I called back.

“Okay, so Tony told me that you’re also being kidnapped tonight… How do you feel about that?”

“I was never too comfortable with the idea of going to the club when I  was single, and I really don’t care for them now as I’m not only five months pregnant, but getting married in less than a week. I also tend to avoid clubs in general simply due to the fact that I’ve had to go undercover as a high-end stripper or prostitute on more than one occasion.”, I walked out of  the bathroom wearing my plush bathrobe and my bunny slippers, a towel wrapped in my hair.

“You do realize that the really high-end girls make a better living at turning tricks than I did when I was working as a high-profile assassin?”, I began to blow dry my hair.

Bruce shook his head no and pulled a granola bar out of his jacket pocket, handing it to me.

“Here, I went to the kitchen to grab myself a snack and figured I should grab an extra since you’re eating for two.”

“Thanks.”

Bruce shrugged.

“It’s no problem. I’d do anything and everything for you.”, he replied with his sweet smile, the one that would melt all my fears and make me feel like I was on top of the world.

“Where are the guys taking you?”, I asked as I walked into my closet and started to pick out my outfit.

“Some strip club, I think it’s the same place that we took Tony for his party.”

“Ah. Let me guess, Tony ordered a keg?”, I pulled on a pair of jeans and then I noticed the shirt that said ‘It’s my last night being single, I’m ready to mingle!!’ on it in huge letters, I sighed and pulled it on.

“Yeah. I’m not too thrilled about that.”

“You know what, I think you deserve a night to just go all out. I know I can’t drink, but I’ve decided that I’m going to party and have a good time anyway. You can do the same.”

I walked out and pulled on my ballet flats. Bruce was wearing a shirt that said ‘Buy me a shot, I’m tying the knot’ on it.

“I don’t know… I’m really not the partying type.”

I sighed as I put on my makeup and a pair of earrings.

“Well neither am I, but just for tonight, I’m going to party like I’m Tony Stark.”

I noticed the horrified look on Bruce’s face and apologized.

“Sorry, that was the worst simile in the world. I’m not going to party that hard, but I will have some fun.”

“Okay then. I’ll have a good time and for once, I’ll be the party person.”, Bruce said and smirked at me as he ran his fingers through his hair, “How do I look?”

I got up and walked over to him, taking in his outfit.  The casual look suited him extremely well but the way he was leaning up against the wall and looking at me over the rims of his glasses just made a chill crawl up my spine.

“Well, I must say that if  you had come into the club dressed like this when I was working undercover, I think I would have forgotten all about seducing my target. I would’ve gone after you instead.”, I said with a sly grin on my face.

I leaned in to kiss him but was interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

“Natasha!!!”, Pepper called from the hallway, “We have to go, our ride is here!!”

I muttered a few choice words in Russian, laying my forehead on Bruce’s chest in defeat.

“Your entourage is waiting.”, Bruce murmured into my ear.

I captured his lips in a passionate kiss anyway before I pulled away from him, grabbed my purse and scratched behind Snowy’s ears.

“Natasha, before you go…”, I turned around to face Bruce and he did something unexpected.

He pushed me up against the wall, minding my baby bump, and he French kissed me. It caught me off guard and when we broke apart, he grinned at me.

“Have fun.”

I smirked and said, “You too.”, as I left.

Pepper was waiting in the hall with the rest of the ladies. All of them were wearing shirts that said ‘Team Bride’ on them. Pepper gave me a gaudy feather boa and a cheap tiara with a veil attached to it as I smirked. Leave it to this bunch to go overboard, but we did the same for Pepper and Jane before they got married.

“We’re going to a regular club right, no male strippers?”, I asked her as we rode to the club in the limo.

“Well there won’t be any male strippers but let’s hope that everyone there is ready to party!!”, Pepper laughed from the seat across from me.

“So are you nervous about the wedding?”, Beth asked.

“Yeah, it’s terrifying and awesome at the same time.”

“I can’t wait until July when Steve and I get married. Oh yeah and guess where we want to have the wedding?”

We all looked at each other and shrugged.

“We’re having it in my hometown!”

“Where’s that?”, Darcy asked as we got out of the limo.

“Oxford, Nebraska. It’s a small town, last time I was there, the population was about 700.”

Serena laughed and said,

“And I thought my hometown was small!”

Maria raised an eyebrow as we went into the club.

“Serena, I know you’re British, but what part of the United Kingdom are you from?”

“Eton, It’s a small town in Berkshire, but it’s got a higher population due only to the fact that Eton college dominates the area.”

We all nodded as sat down and Pepper was the first to order a drink, the others soon following, except for Maria and I. Pepper got a list out of her purse and stood on a chair.

“Okay people! This is Nat’s last night to party so we’re going to have fun!”

She held out a list to me and it was a scavenger hunt. A pretty embarrassing scavenger hunt.

Darcy leaned over and said,

“Get a load of number six, that was all my idea!!”

My eyes shot open as I read it.

“No. Fuck no, I am not going to ask a guy to flash me!”

Darcy was already hitting the hard liquor and I could tell by the way hiccupped when she laughed.

I rolled my eyes as I decided to go down the list.

_1)_ _Kiss the first guy that talks to you._

_2)_ _Prank call your ex-boyfriend._

_3)_ _Flirt with 2 hot guys at once._

_4)_ _Collect a pair of men’s boxers._

_5)_ _Get a guy to talk really dirty to you._

_6)_ _Ask a guy to flash you._

_7)_ _Slow dance with a dork._

_8)_ _Collect ten business cards._

_9)_ _Have a guy tell you about his sex life._

_10)_ _Tell a guy about how good you are in bed._

_11)_ _Have a guy tell you how good he is in bed._

_12)_ _Get kissed by five guys._

_13)_ _Have a guy take off his shirt for you._

_14)_ _Slow dance with a woman._

_15)_ _Get a hot blonde guy’s phone number._

_16)_ _Get a condom from a guy._

_17)_ _Fast dance with a group of hot guys._

_18)_ _Kiss a bald guy._

_19)_ _Blow kisses to a stranger._

_20)_ _Serenade someone._

Wow this was going to be a night to remember…

“Hey, are you the bachelorette?”, asked a random guy.

I stood up and said, “Yes I am.”, before kissing him on the lips.

_Well there goes number one!_

* * *

**Bruce POV**

We got to the club and right off the bat, Steve walked over to the bar with the rest of the guys in tow and said,

“I’ll buy you a drink, can you handle the other guy when you’re drunk?”

“Yeah, it kind of mellows him out. Just make sure that I don’t get into any fights okay.”

Steve got me a scotch and asked,

“How’s it feel to be five days away from being married?”

I knocked back my drink and said,

“It’s a strange feeling, like you know it’s going to happen yet you just can’t believe it.”

“Oh. Beth and I are getting married in July and I can’t stop thinking about how much I’ve been through so far and what types of struggles we’re going to face as husband and wife. It sounds kind of clichéd, but I don’t want to spend my life with anyone but her.”

Tony pulled Steve and I away from the bar and said,

“You two are missing out on all the fun in the back room…here.”, he handed us a wad of one dollar bills and walked us back to the strip club portion of the establishment.

Steve blushed and muttered,

“Promise me that we are not doing this at my bachelor party.”

Tony laughed and said,

“We took Thor to a strip club, we took Phil to a strip club, you guys took me to a strip club, and now it’s Bruce’s turn. It’s a custom to take a bachelor to a strip club, and you won’t be an exception.”, He pointed at Steve who was averting his eyes from the spectacle.

“Hey miss!!”, Tony yelled at a random dancer who looked up as Tony jabbed his thumb at me, “It’s his last night to party before he ties the knot!”

“No, Tony…”, I said. “No lap dances.”

Too late. The dancer got off the stage, took the money that Tony gave her, and began to give me a lap dance.

“Holy Shit….”, I muttered as Tony pulled out his phone and snapped a photo. It felt wrong to get a lap dance from anyone but Natasha, but I had to admit, this dancer knew what she was doing.

Once the dance was over, I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding and walked over to the private room that Tony rented.

When I walked in, all the guys applauded me and I just ignored them, making a beeline for the keg where I got myself another drink.

When I was sufficiently buzzed, we decided to play a game called ‘Never Have I Ever’. We had to explain the game to Thor, Loki, and Steve, but they picked up on it fast.

“Okay, okay…”, Loki slurred, “Never have I ever…lifted Mjölnir.”

Thor took a drink and then Steve said,

“Never have I ever graduated from college.”

Tony, Phil, and I took a drink as Thor said,

“Never have I ever driven a car or motorcycle.”

All of us but Loki grumbled and took a drink.

We soon grew tired of the game, mainly because none of us could see straight anymore and Tony decided that I should be dared to do a bunch of stuff.

I have no clue exactly what happened next, nor do I recall how I got there, but all I remember is standing in the meat section of an all-night grocery store and singing the Oscar Mayer wiener jingle, being tossed over Thor’s shoulder, and staggering onto the sofa in the living area of the tower with a few other guys where I fell asleep.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I checked the last item off the list as Pepper snapped yet another picture of me holding up a pair of boxer shorts. I grinned and thought to myself about how much fun I had had in one night acting like a complete idiot then I had in my whole life being nothing less than cool and deadly perfection.

We rode back to the tower where I half-helped Maria and Happy carry in our wasted friends.

When we got to the living room, I saw Bruce asleep on the couch. His head hung off the edge of the seat, his legs were draped over Loki’s lap. I shook my head and helped him up off the sofa, dragging him to the elevator with Steve’s help. I waited in the elevator until Steve carried Beth in bridal style. As we rode to our respective floors, I asked Steve,

“Did he have a good time?”

“Oh yeah. You should’ve seen him when we sung karaoke, even when he’s completely drunk, he can carry a tune. I didn’t know whether I should be impressed or shocked… How about Beth?”

“She had a great time, she helped me complete my Bachelorette Checklist.”

The elevator doors opened to Steve and Beth’s floor and I waved goodnight to the couple.

I rode to the floor that Bruce and I shared and dragged him down the hall and into our apartment.

I struggled with Bruce until I finally got him under the covers after putting him in his flannel pants and a clean t-shirt.

I pulled on my sleepwear and went to Thor and Jane’s floor to get Snowy from Dr. Selvig who greeted me warmly and told me how I was glowing before going back to care for the twins and their currently inebriated parents.

I went back upstairs and crawled into bed, wrapping my arms around Bruce, knowing he would have a massive hangover in the morning, but not minding because I was finally with him.  

* * *


	21. Equinox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the chapter you have been waiting for since the beginning of the story: the wedding of Bruce and Natasha!

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I stood in front of the mirror in the dressing room in the back of the wedding chapel as Pepper zipped the back of my gown up.

I hitched up my skirt and pulled on the garter before loading a few bullets in my pistol before sliding it next to my two knives in the leg holster.

It may be my wedding day, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get caught unprepared in the event of a fight.

“Natasha? Are you okay?”, she asked.

I nodded but in all honesty, my heart was beating so fast and so loud that I could’ve sworn everyone could hear it.

Maria clipped the simple veil into my updo and  told me that it was hers from when she and Phil got married before patting me on my shoulder and telling me that it was completely healthy to be scared.

We went down the list of what I had that was old (Bruce’s mother’s engagement ring), new (a bracelet that I had bought two weeks ago), borrowed (Maria’s veil), and blue (there was a bit of blue edging on my gown).

Pepper checked the time and found that it was one forty five, fifteen minutes until I was due at the altar. Beth came in with our bouquets (I had only Pepper, Beth, and Maria as my maid of honor and bridesmaids) and told me that, according to Steve, Bruce was almost ready.

I asked them to kindly leave for a few moments while I touched up my makeup. They left and then I did the only thing I could at that moment.

I prayed.

I prayed that I would stay strong and hold my head high in the face of anxiety. I prayed that I wouldn’t forget my vows, drop the ring, or let my nerves get to me in any way. I prayed that nothing would happen to disrupt the wedding. I was yanked out of my thoughts when Clint knocked on the door.

“Nat? You decent in there?”

I  straightened myself out and said, “Yeah Clint…”, not even bothering to hide the shakiness in my voice.

Clint came in and said,

“Hey Tasha, are you sure you’re ready for this? It’s your wedding, I can go tell Bruce that you’re really nervous and need to take five to calm down, I’m sure he’ll understand…”

I shook my head, “No Clint, I’m not going to put this off. I’m not going to postpone this wedding because I got jittery.”

I brushed the front of my gown off and my hand lingered on my abdomen. I felt the baby kick and then all my anxiety vanished. In that moment I was given a new, fresh wave of courage and grabbed Clint’s arm.

“Tasha wait.”

I stopped as he smiled and gave me a hug.

“Go get ‘em.”, he said.

I walked out into the foyer and was met by the groomsmen who smiled at me and immediately started to compliment me. I was blushing already, I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as we got lined up in processional order.

Beth and Steve would go first, then Maria and Phil, then Pepper and Tony. There would be a slight pause and then Clint would escort me down the aisle. We were processing in to Canon in D and I clutched Clint’s arm as I heard the first few notes ring forth.

Soon it was time for me to walk down the aisle and a million thoughts flashed through my mind but they all vanished as soon as I took that first step on my way to becoming Mrs. Natasha Banner.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I stood at the front of the chapel, tapping my foot nervously as Tony took his place next to me as my best man. The Hulk was going wild with anticipation and I had been reinforcing the walls of his mental prison over the past few days so that there was no way he would be getting out to ruin the day.

My thoughts were racing around at the speed of light but I was pulled back to reality as the congregation stood and faced the back of the chapel.

Then I saw her.

My mind went blank and it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

Beneath her veil, I could tell she was blushing and grinning at the same time. The glow coming off of her was nothing short of mesmerizing and surreal. She glowed on a daily basis but the multiple crystals that were sewn into her flowing skirt made her look like she was radiating with her own, powerful light. The natural paleness of her skin tone made her lips, hair, and eyes stand out in blossoming color. I wanted to have this image of her seared into my mind forever.

The emotional weight of this moment hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt a stray tear roll down my cheek.

This was all I wanted in this life, but never I thought I would have it because of the Hulk.

Amazing how  a beautiful assassin pointing her gun at you in a split second can change the course of your life forever.

Clint lifted Natasha’s veil, gave her a hug, and a light kiss on the cheek before he took her right hand and placed it in my extended left hand.

Natasha smiled at me and whispered,

“Hello handsome.”

I whispered back, “Natasha, you are so beautiful.”, causing her to blush some more.

The whole world seemed to melt around us as the priest began to speak.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and this congregation to join together Bruce and Natasha in Holy Matrimony.”

I gazed into her eyes through the whole service and saw my life, my love, my future, and my everything.

The Hulk came through for a second and we shared a thought.

_“Natasha finally mine.”_

It came time to say my vows and I said them from memory, recalling the day almost five months ago when I found out I was going to be a father again, the day Natasha and I wrote these vows.

“In the presence of God, I, Bruce, will have you Natasha, the love of my life, to be the wife of my days, the friend of my life, my partner to share whatever life may bring us, whether it be trouble or sorrow, goodness or joyfulness, we shall face it together as one.” I picked up Natasha’s wedding band and slipped it onto her finger, “With these words, and all the words of my heart, I marry you and join my life to yours.”

Natasha smiled as she recited her vows and I somehow knew she was remembering the day when we wrote these vows too.

 “In the presence of God, I, Natasha, will have you Bruce, the love of my life, to be the husband of my days, the friend of my life, my partner to share whatever life may bring us, whether it be trouble or sorrow, goodness or joyfulness, we shall face it together as one.”, she slid my wedding band onto my finger and laced our fingers together. “With these words, and all the words of my heart, I marry you and join my life to yours.”

I grinned at the priest’s next words.

“By the power vested in me by God and the great state of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife.”, the priest closed his book and nodded at me, “You may kiss the bride.”

My eyes met Natasha’s and time seemed to slow except for the two of us.

She smiled.

“You ready for forever Bruce?”

I pulled her close and murmured,

“I’ve been ready my whole life.”

I kissed her, my wife, my Natasha and I could feel the surge of emotion behind her kiss.

When we broke apart, I still held her close as the congregation cheered.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to present to you, _Dr. and Mrs. Banner_.”

* * *

**Natasha POV**

_“Mrs. Banner.”_

 The name repeated itself over and over in my head as I processed out of the chapel with Bruce on my arm.

“So,”, he asked, “Mrs. Natasha Banner? I don’t know about you, but I think we have a reception to go to.”, he said kissing me again before we ran out to our limo, our friends throwing rice at us even as we drove off to the reception hall.

“I can’t believe we just got married!”, I said excitedly as I planted a kiss on Bruce’s jawbone. He tipped my head  up and captured my lips in a slow and loving kiss. I silently thanked whoever had invented a divider between the limo driver and the backseats. Bruce ran his tongue along my lower lip and I moaned softly against his lips as he pulled me closer.

He pulled away and murmured against my lips.

“We’re here, but honestly, the only place I’d really want to be right now is someplace quiet where just the two of us are alone aside from each other’s company.”

I kissed his nose.

“Don’t worry _Dr. Banner_ , that’s what Tony’s mansion in Bermuda is for.”

“Shall we then?”, Bruce opened the door to the limo and helped me out.

We looked up and saw storm clouds forming.

“Let’s get inside before it starts pouring on us.”, I said as we walked into the ballroom.

We had planned the wedding to be sort of an intimate affair, so our hall wasn’t nearly as vast as the Stark’s had been.

We kissed before we sat down and then the meal began. I ate quite a bit of food, seeing as I was eating for two, but I saved room for cake and sparkling grape juice.

The plates were cleared as Tony got up to make his Best Man speech.

“Hey, I’m Tony Stark, and I’m Bruce’s best man. I’ve prepared a little speech in honor of the newlyweds.”, He flashed his Cheshire cat like grin and pulled a scroll out of his sleeve. Bruce choked on his champagne when the scroll was unfurled and it stretched on for seven feet at least.

Tony chucked the scroll aside and said,

“Forget that. When I met Bruce almost two years ago, he was more of  a suffer in silence type of person, then again, weren’t we all?”, he gestured to our fellow Avengers who nodded in agreement.

“Bruce was the first one to move into the tower and we became fast friends over algorithms, blueprints, and flammable chemicals. When the rest of you people moved in, I saw Bruce checking out Natasha during the first few months of living together in the tower. Natasha here seemed to ignore the good doctor’s advances. Their relationship really started last year on Natasha’s birthday, or so I’ve been told. Their relationship got tested in the worst ways imaginable but they were able to stick together through it all. Well, it’s all going to work out now that they’re going to be parents in about three months.”

He turned to us and lifted his glass.

“I have nothing more to say to these two lovebirds than have fun, enjoy Bermuda, and be safe. To the Banners!”

“To the Banners!!”, everyone else chorused.

Pepper got up and started to make her Maid of Honor’s speech.

“Hi, I’m Pepper Stark and I’m the Maid of Honor. I met Natasha two years ago and we bonded over exercising and I dragged her shopping, which she actually found fun. When I found out that these two were an item, I was jumping up and down like some hyper teenager. When tragedy struck, I never saw Bruce leave Natasha’s side. I have never seen two people more in love then the couple sitting right here. To the Banners!! 

  “To the Banners!!”

Bruce and I got up and cut the cake and I stuffed a piece of cake into his mouth. Alas, a good sized chunk of cake did fall into the front of my gown and I had to fish it out much to Bruce’s embarrassment.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

It came time for Natasha and I to have our first dance as husband and wife.

We made our way to the dance floor and began to sway.

“Bruce?”, she whispered.

“Yes, _Agent Banner_?”, I saw her smile at her new name.

“I love you and I just want you to know that I would never want to spend my life with anyone else but you because you mean the world to me, and you will mean the world to our little Robert Flynn or Cynthia Anastasia Banner.  You will be an amazing father to our child. Jane told me that Thor became even more attractive in her eyes after Ed and Liz came along. If I think you’re the most attractive man alive now then you’re going to have to fight me off of you when this baby comes along.”, she laughed at the end.

“Well,” I kissed her forehead and pulled her close, “I’m  not going to put up much of a fight against a woman who is not only my wife, but a master assassin…”, I pressed his cheek against hers and said, “Well you can’t blame me for just letting you jump my bones every time, can you?”

She giggled as a faster song got started and we walked off on our own, out onto the balcony to catch the evening air and see the last streaks of orange, red, and pink paint the skyline.

“Honestly,” I said, “The view is better from the tower but this is nice too.”

I don’t know how long we stood out there for but we were called back inside by Pepper who had a completely sober Tony on her arm.

“Bruce we hate to ask you to do this, especially since it’s your wedding day, but Loki is flipping out because Darcy twisted her ankle. Can you please have a look at it so that Reindeer Games will calm down?”

I nodded and took Natasha’s hand, we would be heading to the airport soon anyway to go on our honeymoon.

Loki was on his knees and was holding Darcy’s injured ankle in his constantly shifting blue hands, keeping the injury cold enough to prevent swelling while preventing the joint from becoming frostbitten. He wouldn’t stop apologizing for his clumsiness and Darcy kept  telling him to shut up as I wrapped her sprained ankle in an ace bandage.

“…I was being an idiot, really, I should’ve let you wear my shoes if your shoes were giving you trouble. I ooph-”, the demigod was cut off by his girlfriend firmly pressing her lips to his.

I smirked as they pulled apart and Darcy said,

“That was for rambling.”

Soon Nat and I were back in each other’s arms as we danced our last dance of the evening before tossing the garter and bouquet. We would say our goodbyes and head off on our three week stay in Bermuda.

“Are you excited?”, I asked.

“About Bermuda? Yes, I’ve been there before for work, but never for leisure, so I am excited.”

“I’ve never been there. What’s it like? Anything like Hawaii?”

“Eh it’s a bit like Hawaii. The water is really clear there.” 

  “Sounds cool.”

“It is.”

The song ended and Natasha yelled over the crowd of women that she would be tossing her bouquet. Nat turned away from the crowd and flipped the bouquet over her shoulder where Serena caught it and cheered.

Natasha then sat on a chair in the middle of the dance floor and I untied my tie, used it as a blindfold and I knelt down in front of her. I felt her shiver as she felt my fingers brush up her leg and thigh, finding the garter. I put my head under her skirt and nipped/kissed up the inside of her thigh before grabbing the garter with my teeth and pulling off triumphantly.

Natasha was blushing after I tossed the garter away, landing it in Fury’s lap. I leaned down and whispered in her ear in a low seductive voice,

“The best has yet to come, my dear Agent Banner.”

We walked out into the night, started French kissing in the back of the limo, and were soon on our way to our tropical paradise.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave me some feedback!


	22. Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Banners go on their honeymoon and Natasha gets a call from an old acquaintance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this IS a honeymoon chapter, there WILL be some adult content, but I tried to make it as tasteful as I possibly could.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

“This is your pilot speaking, please fasten your seatbelts as we begin our descent.”

I clutched Bruce’s hand as our jet jolted again. There was a storm going on and the plane was shaking as we descended onto the private runway.

I wasn’t handling the turbulence well and Bruce had held my hand throughout the duration of the flight.

Bruce and I had changed before we left; he changed into a more comfortable dress shirt and his Converse sneakers, I changed into a comfortable cream colored dress with a slight plunging neckline and a different pair of ballet flats.

Bruce kissed my hair and whispered,

“Mrs. Banner, all I want to do is take you to the mansion, close the door, and stay wrapped in the sheets with you for three weeks.”

 “Mm that sounds wonderful. Although I do want to enjoy the beach.”

He kissed me again and murmured,

“Of course.”

I clutched Bruce’s hand tighter as our jet landed.

“Dr. and Mrs. Banner, we hope you enjoyed your flight, please enjoy your Honeymoon.”, said the pilot as we disembarked in the pouring rain.

We ran from the jet to the car across the tarmac in the pouring rain.

Well, I did hear somewhere that rain on your wedding day is good luck.

It was raining cats and dogs, so I suppose Bruce and I would have immensely good luck.

We rode in silence and looked at the storm raging outside our vehicle. I didn't know whether to be scared or in awe of the sheer brutality of Mother Nature's wrath.  

Our chauffeur swung into the front driveway and dropped us off under the awning by the door.

He told us that the maids had prepared the house and left so that we could have some privacy on our wedding night but that they would be back at noon the next day. 

After Bruce carried me through the front door of the lavish mansion, he went to turn on an inside light, but the room was illuminated for the briefest of seconds with a bright flash of lightning and long shadows cast eerie shapes on the walls.

I felt a jolt of fear roll down my spine as my husband's hand slipped out of my own.

“Bruce?”

“Right here…”, he whispered from behind me as the lights came on and provided a dim yet steady glow.

“Natasha, we have to get out of these wet clothes before we get sick.”, he murmured into my ear.

Any fear that had filled me two seconds earlier was now flooded away and replaced with need.

 “Okay…”, I practically purred back as he kissed my collarbone and unzipped my dress, tossing it on the floor. 

“Come on Mrs. Banner, let’s get upstairs.”

* * *

**Bruce POV**

 I ran my fingers through Natasha’s hair and tugged gently, causing her to moan.

“Bruce….”

We rolled onto the bed as I kissed and bit her neck, no doubt leaving marks on her pale skin.

“Oh God…”, she moaned.

I pulled myself away from her and tossed the rest of our clothes aside, pulling off my glasses and placing them on the nightstand.

Natasha rolled onto her back as I climbed on top of her, careful not to crush her, and began to kiss down her chest. She tugged at my hair and I let out a low growl against her skin.

She  began to grind her hips against mine as she purred into my ear.

“Bruce…please…”

I complied with her request and kissed her neck once more before I pressed my hips against hers and my thoughts became incomprehensible as she moaned my name again.

I kissed her lips and she bit my lower lip.

I moaned her name and she tugged on my hair again.

Our tongues wrestled for dominance and I tangled my fingers in her hair.

“Natasha… The things I’d  to do to you…”, I murmured as I broke the kiss and pressed my cheek against hers.

“Then what are you waiting for? Show me….”, she purred back, biting my ear softly.

 I smirked against her neck.

Challenge Accepted.

Half an hour later, after the most incredible experience of our lives, Natasha snuggled up against me.

“Bruce?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I held my wife close and drifted off.

_“Bruce, come here, I need to show you something.”_

_I found myself in the front hall of a house and saw the pictures on the wall going up the stairs. They were photos of mainly Natasha and I, but I glanced into the living room and framed photos of the other Avengers sat on the mantelpiece. This was the home that belonged to Natasha and I, the one I had always wanted._

_“Bruce, come upstairs, I have someone that I want you to meet.”_

_I walked up the stairs and down the hall towards the sound of Natasha’s voice._

_I walked into a sunny room and saw that it was a nursery. Natasha sat in a rocking chair by the window and she smiled contentedly at me._

_She was holding a bundle in her arms and rocking it gently._

_She looked at me again, grinned, and said,_

_“Come on Bruce...”_

_I hesitantly walked over to her side and she gazed up at me._

_“I wanted you to meet our son, I gave birth while you and the rest of the Avengers were saving the world and now that you’re back, I think you should definitely meet him.”_

_She stood up and held out the small bundle to me and I took it carefully._

_The moment I first held my son was the moment my life was made complete._

_I couldn’t help it and I broke down in tears._

_“Natasha…He’s so beautiful…”_

_“I hope you don’t mind it that I named him.”_

_“What’s his name?”, I asked._

_“Brandon Robert Banner”, she replied._

_“It’s perfect.”_

I opened my eyes and saw sunlight streaming in between the curtains.

Natasha was still sleeping with her head on my chest and I inhaled her lingering perfume, surprised that the rain hadn’t washed it away.

Natasha stirred and looked at me before yawning,

“Good morning Bruce.”

“Good morning Natasha.”

She moved so she was laying on her side and facing me.

“Did you sleep well?”, I asked, holding her hand and running my thumb over the cool metal of her wedding and engagement rings.

“Of course I did, I had my husband beside me the whole time.”, she smiled and kissed my forehead.

“Do you want to get up?”

She nodded.

“I also want to take a shower, I slept in my makeup from yesterday.”

She got up and stole my shirt off the floor, covering herself.

She walked into the bathroom and called out to me.

“Bruce?”

“Yes?”

“It’s impolite to keep a lady waiting.”, she said and I heard the desire in her voice.

“Yes dear…”, I smirked as I cast the covers off of myself to follow my wife.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

After breakfast, Bruce and I decided to go and check out the scenery.

We walked along the beach and enjoyed our breathtaking surroundings.

“I had a dream last night…”, Bruce said softly as we walked on the beach, hand in hand.

“What was it about?”. I asked.

“It was about the baby.”

“What happened?”

He told me all about the house, the nursery, and how he felt when he held his son for the first time.

“Is that all?”, I asked when he was done.

“Yes. I want to know what you want.”

“What do you mean?”, I asked.

“Do you want a son or a daughter?”

I laughed.

“It’s not really up to me.”

“I know that, but I was just curious.”

I thought for a while.

“Hmm, I think I’d want a daughter. A little girl who would have the happy childhood that I never had. I would want to do mother-daughter things with her like shopping, baking, and teaching her things like how to shoot a gun.”, I pulled Bruce into a hug, “But the most important thing for her wouldn’t be martial arts or science, it would be having a man as kind and loving as you for her father.”

Bruce kissed me and said,

“And a woman as intelligent and fearless as you for her mother.”

I put my head on his chest.

“You know I’m not fearless.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“Losing you.”

Bruce tipped my chin upwards and his brown eyes searched my gaze.

“What makes you think that I’m going anywhere? You know I’ll never leave you.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you afraid?”

“I have no idea.”

He kissed me and said,

“Come on, let’s see the sights.”

And so we did.

We spent the next two weeks doing things like going sightseeing, swimming, and getting tangled up in the sheets. Bruce only Hulked out once because he could only keep the Hulk penned up for so long.

Thank God that Tony had put an armory, a lab, and a Hulk unit in every one of his houses.    

During the final week of our honeymoon, we decided to  go out on Tony’s boat for a day.

We left the house at sunrise, took the boat out of the marina and sailed into the open ocean. It was a beautiful morning off of Bermuda and we sailed along the coast for a while before deciding to have some lunch.

Bruce’s phone rang just as we dropped the anchor.

“Hello?”, he answered.

“Hello, Director Fury.”, he said.

The smile slipped off his face and he glanced at me.

“Of course you can trust me, I’m her husband and a member of the team. How about I put Natasha on since this information is clearly her business?”

“Okay.”, he handed the phone to me and I answered it.

“Yes Fury?”

“Agent Romanoff?”

“It’s Agent Banner now.”

“Sorry, old habit. Anyway, we found something that we thought you ought to know.”

“Well, what is it?”

“It’s about Ivan Petrovich.”

My eyes shot open.

Ivan was the first person who had treated me like a human and not a weapon after I had been brainwashed by the Red Room.

He was the closest I had ever come to having a father and he helped me gain a shred of humanity.

He had disappeared nearly eleven years ago and, according to the research I did when I joined SHIELD, he had died about nine years ago.

“What about him? He’s been dead for a while.”, I asked.

“Well that’s where you’re wrong. Ivan Petrovich is very much alive, he was being held as a prisoner in Belgium by some division of the Red Room, which has been eliminated. He managed to escape and now he’s seeking help from SHIELD.”

“Why…what does he need help with?”, I asked, sitting down on the deck.

“Locating you. All he wants is to find you and see how you’re doing. We’ve already checked his records and he’s clean. We’ve also told him that you’re alive but we didn’t say any more than that.”

“How is he?”, I asked as Bruce sat down next to me and mouthed the words, “Is everything okay?”, as I nodded.

“He’s doing well, he was suffering from malnutrition when we got to him and now he’s getting his strength back. He’s asking about you a lot but we wanted to ask your explicit permission before we disclosed any information.”

I choked back tears and said,

“Can you put him on the phone?”

“I’ll put the call through to his room.”

“Thanks Fury.”

“No problem Agent Banner.”

I waited a few moments until a man with a thick Russian accent answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Ivan?”, I asked hesitantly.

“Yes? May I ask who’s speaking?”

“It’s me…Natasha Romanoff.”, I replied, using my maiden name because he didn’t know I was married.

“Natasha? _My daughter?_ ”, he asked in Russian.

_“Yes father. I cannot wait until I get back to see you again after so long… I thought you were dead.”_

_“Natasha, I can’t believe I found you again. How are you?”_

_“I’m fine, better than fine actually, and you?”_

Ivan laughed and replied,

_“I’m alive, my daughter is well, the food is good, and I’m gaining strength, so I can’t complain.”_

_“I’ll see you again very soon. I have someone I want you to meet, a lot of people actually.”_

_“I have met Mr. and Mrs. Stark along with your friends Clint and Serena, I have yet to meet the others. Where are you now?”_

_“I’m in Bermuda on vacation.”_

_“It’s beautiful there, isn’t it? I haven't been there since a few years before I met you.”_

_“Yes and I’m enjoying the sunny weather.”_

_“We have much to talk about when you return. I won’t bother you any more while you’re on vacation, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing you soon. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”_

_“Alright father. I’ll talk to you later. Goodbye.”_

_“Goodbye, my daughter.”_ , he said before hanging up the phone.

I gave Bruce his phone back and Bruce asked,

“Wow, is everything okay?”

“Yes.”, I nodded. “Ivan is alive!”, I shouted as I stood up and hugged Bruce.

“Isn’t Ivan your father-figure?”

“Yes, I thought he was dead, but he’s alive and well. I can’t wait to see him again.”

“I wonder what he’ll think of me, after all, I’m technically his son-in-law.”

My good mood went out the window in a heartbeat as I sat down again.

Ivan was always overprotective of me, I hope the sight of me married and pregnant didn’t give him a heart attack or worse, cause him to get mad at Bruce.

The last time he saw me, I was a teenager and a cold-blooded assassin.

The very idea of me becoming a wife and mother was unheard of.

The old Natasha would have killed whoever suggested such silly notions.

That was the Natasha that Ivan remembered. 

“Oh dear…”, I muttered.

* * *


	23. Little Miracle

* * *

**Natasha POV**

“Here we are, back in New York City. Wake up Bruce.”, I said softly as I nudged my sleeping husband.

He woke up and asked blearily, “What did I miss?”

“Nothing, you were just asleep for the better part of the flight. We’ve landed at LaGuardia and it’s time to get off the plane. SHIELD sent a vehicle to pick us up and take us back to the tower.”

“Okay…”, he said, pulling off his seat belt, standing up, and stretching as best as he could in the small cabin.

We disembarked and walked across the runway to the SHIELD SUV where Phil and Maria stood, patiently waiting.

When we got to the SUV, Maria held out her arms and I gave her a hug.

“Nat, we missed you! How was your honeymoon?”, she asked, embracing Bruce next.

“It was beautiful and very relaxing.”, I answered, “How have you been?”

“Not too bad, but we’re hanging in there.”, Phil answered, "Snowy misses you a lot, so expect her to probably jump all over you."

We got in the SUV and had our luggage put in the back before driving away.

“So, how’s Ivan doing?”, I asked.

“He’s fine, but he’s really looking forward to tonight.”, Maria said.

Bruce began to bounce his knee anxiously at the very mention of Ivan, not that I blamed him.

Ivan had been really overprotective of me when I was a teenager, but everything he did was done to keep me safe because I was technically his daughter and he loved me above everything else.

I just hoped that he wouldn’t freak out once he found out that I was married and expecting a baby.

I felt Bruce lace his fingers with mine and squeeze gently. He was so nervous about meeting his father-in-law and I could feel him shaking.

We pulled up out front of the tower and Happy helped Phil, Maria and Bruce unload the bags. I had been told almost a month ago not to do any sort of heavy lifting since I was almost in my third trimester. Once Bruce had heard those words come out of Dr. Hiddleston’s mouth, he had taken it upon himself to make sure I didn’t do any lifting at all, heavy or otherwise with the exception of dragging my drunk friends in from the car. The only thing I was allowed to carry was my purse.

We rode up to our floor and put the luggage in our room. Maria and Phil left us to unpack and  the second the door shut, Bruce sank down on his side of the bed and put his head in his hands.

I walked over and sat down next to him.

“Bruce? Are you going to be okay?”

“I don’t know, I’m just nervous about meeting your father, that’s all. What if he doesn’t like me?”

I hugged him and he laid his head on my shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. Trust me.”, I reassured.

“I don’t know…”, Bruce muttered.

“Bruce, he’s not going to try and break us up if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

Bruce remained silent and I continued speaking, trying to alleviate his fears.

“Ivan can’t do anything, even if he wanted to. He would never do anything to hurt me. Ivan would never force us apart.”

Bruce looked up at me as I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed him softly before pulling away and whispering,

“He never could.”

“I know.”, Bruce said with a soft smile, “Because nothing could ever keep me from you.”

We sat in silence for a while, just content with being in each other’s presence until a knock at the door broke the silence.

“Open up lovebirds!”

“We have your fluffy canine, and she’s running in circles about my feet!”

Bruce kissed my forehead and said,

“That would be Darcy and Loki with Snowy.”

“We should get Snowy.”, I said, opening the door and kneeling as our puppy rushed into the room, barking and hopping on me.

I laughed as Bruce knelt beside me and Snowy hopped into his arms.

Loki sat crisscross on the floor with Darcy next to him and we played with Snowy.

Jarvis interrupted playtime.

“Mrs. Stark has informed me that Mr. Petrovich has arrived and is in the living room.”

My eyes flicked to Bruce who had stiffened up with Snowy in his lap.

Loki noticed the change in Bruce and took Darcy’s hand before speaking,

“Dr. Banner, if it's any consolation, I was terrified before I met Mr. Lewis, but now he calls me ‘son’ and I feel as though there was never reason to fear him. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Yeah,”, Darcy added as she stood with her boyfriend, “You have a lovely personality, so I don’t see how Ivan couldn’t like you.”

“I could…”, Bruce said softly as they left.

I hugged him and said,

“Bruce, I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“Okay.”, Bruce placed his hand on my rapidly expanding baby bump, “It’s hard to believe that in a little less than three months, we’re going to be parents. It’s so exciting and terrifying at the same time.”

I nodded and said, “I hope the baby has your eyes.”

Bruce gazed at me and added, “I hope it has your smile.”

“Let’s go meet Ivan, I’m sure that he’s dying to meet us.”

Bruce grabbed my hand and nodded.

We went with Snowy  down the hall to the elevator and rode up to the main level.

I walked across the threshold, Snowy raced ahead to bark excitedly at Ivan.

“Natasha…”, Ivan said as he got up from his spot on the sofa and saw me for the first time in almost eleven years, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Father…”, I said, letting go of Bruce’s hand and closing the gap to give Ivan a hug.

“My daughter, you look so beautiful and…”, Ivan stopped, holding both my hands and stepped back as he looked down at my baby bump before looking at Bruce and back at me, “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, and married.”, I said, showing Ivan my rings before taking Bruce’s hand and saying, “This is my husband, Dr. Bruce Banner.”

Ivan swept his gaze over Bruce a few times, taking him in, before he offered his hand to Bruce.

“So you’re the man my daughter married?”

* * *

**Bruce POV**

I took Ivan’s hand and gave him a firm handshake.

The Russian had the perfect poker face which just made me even more nervous.

The Hulk was getting really antsy, but not to the point where I would need to run to the unit and let him out. 

I just kept pushing him back and telling him to shut up.

The Hulk’s presence could either make or break Ivan’s first impression of me. 

“Yes sir, I’m Natasha’s husband.”

“Are you also the father?”, he asked, gesturing to Natasha’s pregnant figure.

“Yes sir.”

“Come, both of you, we have a lot to talk about.”, Ivan said in an emotionless voice.

I grasped Natasha’s hand as we sat down on the sofa. Ivan sat down in the chair across from us and asked,

“How long have you two been married?”

“It’ll be a month on April 20th.”, Natasha replied.

“Is he treating you well Natasha?”

“Of course father, I wouldn’t be with someone who didn’t.”

“Dr. Banner, what do you do for a living? Are you an Avenger?”

“I’m an Avenger, but I work in the labs with Tony Stark most of the time. I have my PhD in thermo-nuclear astrophysics and I’m not qualified as a medical practitioner, but I did study enough medicine to do simple things like set broken bones, diagnose medical conditions, and stitch wounds.”

“Which Avenger are you? The one that’s blue and can freeze anything he touches?”, Ivan asked.

“No sir, that would be Loki, he’s the one with the freeze powers.”

“You didn’t answer my question, which one are you?”

“I’m the Hulk.”, I said, shuddering slightly.

“The giant green monster? The one that demolishes buildings in mere seconds with his temper tantrums? You turn into that?”, Ivan asked, clearly astonished.

“Yes sir.”

Ivan looked at Natasha before speaking to her in rapid Russian, to which Natasha replied.

I couldn’t understand a word of it, but I could understand the tones they were using.

Ivan was fearful, shocked, and somewhat angry. Natasha was trying to be reassuring but her voice was laced with undertones of defensiveness as well as concern.

“Um…”, I began, “I’m going to get a glass of ginger ale, can I get you two anything while I’m up?”

Natasha nodded

“Yeah, I’d like a glass of apple juice…On second thoughts, can you mix chocolate milk and pickle juice together?”, she asked looking up at me.

“Wait…Pickle juice?”, I asked, growing mildly queasy.

“Yeah, I just got a craving for it mixed with chocolate milk.”, she said.

“Ok then. Can I get you anything Mr. Petrovich?”

“Nothing for me. I just want to say a few things, so before you go concoct this drink for my daughter, sit down and listen to me.”, he said, his dark eyes boring into me.

I sat down and he said,

“I would like to say a few more things and ask a couple more questions before I hear the entire story of how you two somehow managed to last this long without killing each other.”

“Father!”, Natasha scolded, “That was uncalled for!”

Ivan held up his hand and Natasha fell silent.

“Now.  I don’t like the idea of my daughter being married to someone who has the potential to destroy her if he loses his temper. I also don’t like the fact that you conceived a child prior to becoming married. I don’t like a lot of things about this odd couple but I realize that my opinion means nothing.”

“Father, I wasn’t thinking about your opinion because I thought you were _dead_.”, Natasha explained.

“I know, I know.”, Ivan said, waving his hand as if he was batting her words out of the air, “I didn’t expect you to be married or with child. In fact, this whole ordeal makes my head hurt, but it must be addressed.”

He paused and swept his gaze between us before continuing.

“In view of the circumstances, I realize that I am helpless.”

“How so?”, Natasha asked.

“Natasha, you aren’t sixteen anymore. You’ve blossomed into a beautiful, strong, and intelligent woman. You are in charge of your own life and who you choose to spend it with. You may be grown up, but remember this,”, he said, taking both of Natasha’s hands, “You will always be my little girl.”, he embraced Natasha, murmured some words to her in Russian and then broke apart.

Ivan turned to me, his expression hardening.

“Bruce, I expect you to take good care of my daughter.”

“I will.”

 “I know you will, you both took vows when you were married to take care of each other. Natasha only broke one vow in the time when I was with her in Russia, but it was for a good reason. Natasha keeps her word. I don’t know how good you are with keeping your word, but if Natasha has come to trust you, I’m sure I will eventually place my trust in you as well.”

“Thank you sir.”

We sat down again.

“Now, I’d like to ask a few questions.”, Ivan said, “First of all, when is the baby supposed to arrive?”

“June 24th .”, Natasha answered.

Ivan looked at me.

“Can you control the Hulk?”

“Yes, to a certain extent.”, I said, knowing that his next questions would be about the Hulk.

“Has the Hulk ever hurt or attacked Natasha?”

“No, not intentionally. There was one incident two years ago, but that was an accident.”, Natasha answered, “Nowadays I can talk to the Hulk and he would never think of hurting me or the baby.”

“I see, will I have a grandson or a granddaughter?”

“We wanted to be surprised.”, I said.

“Okay. I have no more questions for right now.”

Ivan stood and motioned for us to do the same, he held out his hands and I mirrored Natasha as she placed one of her hands in his. Ivan smiled at us and said,

“I hope to learn about both of you even more in the coming months. I have been offered a room here by Mr. and Mrs. Stark and I plan on staying until I have to leave or until you want me to leave, whichever comes first. Even though you are both married already, I suppose it’s only right to give you my blessing.”

A huge wave of relief washed over me as he said those words.

We stood in blissful silence until Beth came over.

“Excuse me, I hate to interrupt, but dinner’s ready.”

“Shall we?”, I asked, motioning towards the dining room.

Ivan and Natasha nodded and we all went to dinner, glad to have resolved our family matter.

* * *

**The next day…**

**Natasha POV**

“Bruce? Where are we going?”

“Just be patient.”, he said, “We’re almost there.”

Bruce had blindfolded me after breakfast and said that he had a surprise for me.

I felt the blindfold being untied and Bruce said,

“You have to keep your eyes closed until I say so.”

“Okay…”

“Open your eyes, Natasha.”

I opened my eyes and gasped as I looked around. Bruce gestured around and said,  “Surprise!”, in a soft voice.

I stood in the most perfect nursery ever and I couldn’t believe it was all for the baby I was carrying, the little miracle that was currently kicking me in the stomach.

“Bruce, It’s perfect. I love it.”, I said as I hugged him.

“I thought you would, I had it done while we were on our honeymoon. I had Tony hire one of Pepper’s interior designers to turn the second bedroom of our apartment into a nursery.”

“You did well, and I love the colors you picked.”

The walls were a light creamy yellow and the ceiling was an eggshell white. Long curtains hung in front of the doors to the balcony. The room had everything from the essentials to extras like a fully stocked book shelf with everything from parenting books on the top shelves to fairy tales and bedtime stories on the bottom shelves.  The rocking chair by the window had a quilt draped over it and there were stuffed animals sitting in the chair. I walked over to the closet and opened the door to find shelves full of extra sheets and blankets for the crib and a set of empty drawers to fill with clothes when we found out whether we had a son or a daughter.

I turned around and noticed the photos on the wall near the crib, they were photos of Bruce and I along with the other Avengers and the little wooden sign hanging above the photos had the words "My Family" painted on it, every frame below them had the names of the people in the photos, like the photo of Bruce and I had the words "My Mommy and Daddy" on it and the one with Pepper and Tony in it bore the words "Auntie Pepper and Uncle Tony".

I turned back to Bruce and said, “It’s perfect. And the pictures are beautiful, especially the one of us on our wedding day.”

“I still remember how I felt when I saw you coming down the aisle.”

“How did you feel?”

“I felt like I was the luckiest man in the whole world. How about you?”

“I felt like I was finally becoming complete.”

Bruce came close to me and stroked my cheek gently.

“I tell you this every day, but I’ll tell you again anyway,”, he murmured. “You are so beautiful. Especially when you smile, you never seemed to do that until you became pregnant again.”

“You gave me the greatest gift in the world. You gave me a little miracle,”, I said and patted my baby bump, “How could I not smile?”

Bruce knelt down and kissed my baby bump before whispering to his unborn child, “Your mommy is so beautiful, you should see her when she smiles, it lights up the whole room. I know she and I will love you to death, because you’re our little miracle.”

He stood up and kissed me.

“I love you Natasha.”

“I love you too Bruce.”

We remained in each other’s embrace for a long time, and I could’ve stood there forever, as long as Bruce was holding me close.

* * *


	24. Early Bloomer

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I was spending the afternoon in the kitchen, combining weird food to make something to eat to satisfy my cravings. I had been doing that more often these days, and it had started two weeks ago on my 28th birthday. This time, I was having cookies and cream ice cream with pickles and hot fudge.

Bruce walked in and found me sitting there, stuffing my face.

Not only was I hungry, but I was worried too.

I didn’t want to admit to anyone how apprehensive I was when it came to the act of giving birth in less than two weeks.

 “This kid’s gonna eat us out of house and home, I can already tell.”, he said, sitting down beside me and glancing at what was in my bowl before wrinkling up his nose and asking me, “Is that any good?”

I nodded, as my mouth was full. 

“The girls wanted me to tell you that the baby shower is in a week.”

I groaned and swallowed my food.

“This baby’s going to be spoiled rotten, just like Snowy.”, I said.

“Eh maybe.”, Bruce said with a shrug.

Beth walked into the kitchen and clasped her hands behind her back.

“I have big news…”

“What’s up?”, I asked.

“You know how I was looking for a job?”

“Yeah?”

 “Well I found one! I’m the newest cast member for the Broadway revival of the Sound of Music. I’m going to be playing the role of Liesl von Trapp!” she exclaimed excitedly.

I had never seen the show, but apparently Bruce had, and we began to congratulate her on securing a role.

“We’ve had to postpone the wedding too, but I think I may have told you that.”, she said.

“No you didn’t say anything about that.”, said Bruce.

“Oh, it’s nothing serious, my parents are just trying their hardest to get things situated at home. Steve and I have agreed to let them do most of the planning, after all, their wedding gift to us is the actual wedding. We don’t want a huge affair with everything that’s just perfect, we want an affordable ceremony and an Oxford-style reception. The wedding is going to be held in the old north stable on the Covington farm, which isn’t even used as a place to keep the horses anymore, its more or less just a historic site.”

“Oh, so when are you getting married?”, I asked.

“Saturday July 12th, that way you and Bruce will have plenty of time to get back into the swing of things with your little bundle of joy.”, she replied with a smile.

“Aw man!”, I said, “That means I’ll have to have my dress altered again.”

“Sorry about that.”, Beth said.

“No its fine.”

“Alrighty then. I’ll see you later. Enjoy your…uh…snack.”, she said, at a slight loss for words when she saw the contents of my bowl, promptly followed by her going a bit green in the face and scurrying out of the kitchen.

I finished eating and I went to wash my dishes but Bruce insisted that I should sit and let my food digest.

“Bruce?”

“Yes?”

“Would you be up for coming with Ivan and I on a walk through Central Park later today? We could bring Snowy along too, I just want to get out of the tower to do something other than go to SHIELD or Dr. Hiddleston’s office.”

“Sounds good to me. Just don’t overdo it and the second you feel tired or you get a stitch in your side, tell us and we’ll leave.”, he said, smiling softly as a curl of his brown hair fell into his eyes.

He wanted nothing more than to ensure my safety and the well-being of the baby and I found myself smiling. A few months ago, I would’ve been mildly annoyed at his constant worrying, but I guess I had grown used to the way he would be so gentle with me and how he would fuss over the smallest things. It was one of his many little quirks that I had grown to love.

“Okay.”, I agreed as I rubbed my abdomen, the baby had grown even larger in the past weeks, so it was hard for me to get myself up out of bed and even do small things like tie my shoes. My feet and ankles had started aching several weeks ago but Dr. Hiddleston had ordered scans to rule out the risk of any blood clots forming in my legs, feet and ankles, and the results showed that there weren’t any clots and that my feet were just not used to carrying nearly fourty more pounds than I would have normally weighed.

Bruce had taken to rubbing my feet when they were sore in the evenings and I was so eternally grateful to him because that helped me relax a lot, especially when the baby would not let me fall asleep at night and kept elbowing me in my bladder.

I knew that the reason why the baby was always moving nowadays was to get into its birth position.

“Natasha?”, Ivan called from the living room where he was reading. Snowy had her head in his lap and I went over and sat next to him.

“Yes father?”

“I just wanted to feel the baby, you know I haven’t had enough chances to do so as I’ve been busying myself at SHIELD.”

“Oh, okay then.”, I said, letting him place his hands on my baby bump.

“I don’t feel a thing.”, Ivan stated.

“Just be patient father, you will.”

No sooner had I said that than the baby kicked at Ivan’s hand.

Hard.

I yelped in surprise and Bruce was at my  side in a flash, a concerned look on his face.

“Natasha! Are you okay?”

“Yeah”, I said, rubbing the spot where the baby had kicked, “I’m just fine.”

“Well, the small one seems to have remarkable strength.”, Ivan said in awe as he pulled his hands away from my bump.

I nodded.

“So when are we taking that walk?”, I asked, trying to ignore Bruce’s inquisitive stare as I stood.

Snowy barked as I hooked her leash on and she sat on my foot in the elevator, licking my fingers.

Ivan sat in the backseat of Bruce’s car as we rode to Central Park. I was a little worried about the intensity of the baby’s kick but I brushed it off, figuring that everything was normal. We parked and got out, Ivan taking Snowy to the dog park and telling us to have fun on our own before walking away and leaving Bruce and I to walk alone. Bruce held my hand as the warm June breeze gently blew the front strands of my hair back.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be parents in almost two weeks.”, Bruce mused as we reached the bridge. “I’m excited, how about you?”

“I’m nervous.”, I blurted out.

“You’re shaky about the whole birth process aren’t you?”, he asked softly.

“Yeah, I am. The whole concept of squeezing something as big as a grapefruit out of a hole that isn’t that big kind of freaks me out. What if it…you know… tears?”

Bruce grasped my hands.

“That’s what stitches are for.”

“Yeah. It’s not like I’m going to feel much after they give me an epidural block to numb me out.”, I replied nonchalantly.

Bruce kissed me and said,

“No matter what happens, I will be there for you. I was there for the last thirty eight weeks, and I will do everything except hold your hand in the delivery room.”

I smirked, knowing full well that he wouldn’t hold my hand while I was in labor because he didn’t want to unleash the Hulk if I accidentally broke his hand from squeezing too hard.

“Right, everything but that.”, I laughed.

“So have the boys been placing bets on whether we’re going to have a boy or girl yet?”, I asked.

“Yes.”

“Who’s betting on a boy?”

“Pepper, Clint, Darcy, Loki, Phil, and Fury all think it’s a boy, everyone else is placing money on a girl.”

“Hm. I would’ve thought for sure that Tony would place money on us having a son.”, I said with a shrug.

“Nah, he says that you’re carrying too high for a boy.”

“How the hell would he know?”, I asked.

“That’s what I said.”

I saw a brood of ducks swimming towards us and I reached in my purse and pulled out a bag of stale bread, tossing some into the water.

I smiled as I watched a mother duck leading her babies around to the bread so they could eat.

“Natasha, you’re beautiful like this.”, Bruce murmured as he tossed a handful of crumbs into the pond.

“What?”

“When you’re calm and enjoying life is when you are the prettiest.”

I dropped the rest of the bread over the side and shoved the bag in my pocket before I kissed him slowly. I could almost taste the sincerity of his words and it made a warm feeling spread through my body.

“Hey you two! None of that in public!”, Ivan yelled and we broke apart to see him walking towards us with Snowy, chuckling as he went.

“You two are a wonderful pair, but please, save it for the privacy of your bedroom.”

“Father!”, I laughed, slightly embarrassed.

“What?”, he asked innocently, “We weren’t allowed to do that stuff in public back when I was a young man… Of course that never stopped me when I was with a pretty lady…”, he trailed off, a nostalgic smile on his face.

“Okay, that’s a bit more than I wanted to hear Mr. Petrovich!”, Bruce laughed.

“Come on, let’s get going, it’s almost time for supper and I can’t wait to taste Phil and Maria’s amazing lasagna.”, Ivan said and we walked back to the car, listening and laughing as Ivan reminisced about his youth.    

* * *

**Bruce POV**

**One Week Later…**

“Aw now isn’t that the cutest little outfit?”, Serena asked as Natasha held up a pair of tiny footie pajamas with little cartoon giraffes running around on it.

“Yes, it’s just adorable, and it’s so soft.”, Natasha gushed over the item, “Thank you so much Serena.”

We were opening gifts at the baby shower and so far we had received a bunch of blankets, bibs, and outfits for the baby, all of them were unisex except for the outfit Tony gave us that was pink and had the words ‘lock up your sons, my mama’s got guns’ on it and the blanket that Loki and Darcy gave us that was blue with little bears on it. Loki and Thor both claimed that blue was a color for both genders on Asgard.

Pepper’s gift was the most useful though; a huge supply of diapers.

Jane and Thor had both nodded solemnly when I asked if a supply this big was actually necessary for just one baby.

We played a few games and then I noticed Natasha getting a bit uncomfortable in her seat.

“What’s wrong?”, I asked her as she shifted in her chair.

“Nothing.”, she replied, smiling up at me. “Although some air would be nice.”, she said, and I took her hand as she got to her feet.

We went out onto the deck and the sounds of the city with the setting sun and a soft breeze blowing made for the perfect evening. Natasha sat down at the same table we sat at when I gave Natasha her black widow necklace. I smiled when I saw she was wearing said necklace.

Natasha sighed.

“One more week to go and, according to what Dr. Hiddleston said a couple days ago, everything is going smoothly. I just wish it would let me sleep at night instead of playing soccer in there.”, she said.

“You must really want to just have the baby already.”, I murmured.

“You have no clue.”, Natasha said in a serious tone before adding, “Wait a second, yes you do. Dr. H said that we should abstain until six weeks after the baby is born when I go back on my birth control pills, and told us at my eight and a half month checkup that sex could be risky in the last weeks of pregnancy.”

I nodded. It had been a long two weeks since I had been intimate with Natasha and the thought of six more weeks without her was going to eventually drive me up the wall.  I wasn’t going to stoop to Tony’s level and take care of my frustrations on my own like he said I should, I was going to be true to her. If she had to abstain, so did I.   

 “Is the baby shifting around a lot right now?”, I asked, glancing at her.

“No, it’s not. I guess it’s asleep because it’s shifting, just not kicking me in the intestines like it usually does.”

 I saw her shiver and place a hand on her bump, a mixed look on her face.

“That’s funny, I just got a chill and it seemed to come from right here.”, she said, pointing to her lower abdomen.

“Maybe we should go inside, I’d hate for you to catch a cold or anything.”, I said, standing up and holding out my hands to her.

“Yeah, I agree.”, she said as she took my hands and lifted herself up.

When she was on her own two feet, she brushed her skirt down and I walked to the door, holding it open for her, but she didn’t follow.

“Uh…Bruce?”, her voice was full of concern when she asked for me.

I looked back and saw Natasha holding her abdomen with a surprised look on her face.

She glanced at the wet floor below her feet and then glanced back at me.

“My water just broke.”, she said in a surprised voice.

* * *


	25. Welcome To The World

* * *

**Bruce POV**

“The baby is coming now?!”, I asked, rushing over to Natasha who cringed as her first contraction hit her.

“Augh, yes, the baby is coming now. We have to go to the hospital! Get Ivan and Jane!”, she said through clenched teeth, supporting herself on the deck railing as I called inside for Ivan and Jane.

I also told Pepper to call Dr. Hiddleston and let him know that Natasha was going to have the baby tonight.

Ivan ran out with Thor and they supported Natasha as I tried my best to calm down.

I couldn’t afford to miss the birth of my son or daughter because of the Hulk.

Natasha may forgive me if I did miss it, but I would never forgive myself if I did.

The Hulk was frantically attempting to make some sense out of the sudden predicament.

_“Bruce scared, Natasha having child, Natasha in pain but Hulk don’t know what to do except not smash thing that cause Natasha pain, but when Bruce scared, Hulk protect Bruce and when Natasha in pain, Hulk smash thing that cause Natasha pain. Child causing Natasha pain and Hulk love child, so Hulk not sure what to do.”_

I shook my head and focused on Natasha.

“Do we need to call an ambulance?”, Jane asked, pressing the back of her hand to Natasha’s forehead.

“No, get me to the lobby. Have Happy take us to the emergency room.”, Natasha panted, clutching her abdomen.

Soon we were checking into the hospital, Natasha was being transferred to a gurney  and had a nurse taking her vitals in a side room where Natasha would stay until she was dilated far enough to begin pushing.

I watched as Dr. H told the nurse to give Natasha an IV as the anesthesiologist prepped and numbed her for the epidural anesthesia test.

Natasha grasped my hands, making sure she didn’t squeeze them, as the epidural catheter was inserted directly in between two of her lumbar vertebrae.

She clenched her jaw and I got down to her level, looking her straight in the eye. I saw how truly terrified she was of this whole ordeal and I couldn’t help but blame myself for all the fear and pain she was feeling. She was so brave for even being in the hospital right now because of how much she hated and feared them in general. 

“Natasha, you’re doing so well, soon you’ll be numb and then you’ll feel a lot better.”, I murmured as I stroked her cheek gently.

“Bruce.”, she hissed through clenched teeth, “Get Phil and Maria...”

I searched her face and asked, "Are you sure? Don't you want me to stay?"

She grit her teeth and whispered, "Go... I trust Dr. H...".

I nodded and kissed her forehead before getting up and leaving the room.

As I entered the waiting area, the whole team stood up and questions were  rapidly fired in my direction.

I held up my hands and they fell silent.

“I need to speak with Phil and Maria. Natasha is doing well but I have a feeling that they’re going to be moving her back into one of the delivery rooms soon.”, I said calmly.

Phil and Maria stood up and followed me to the hallway outside of the prep rooms.

“Hey, what’s up?”, Maria asked, glancing over at the door to Natasha’s room. 

“Natasha and I want you and Phil to be the godparents, so follow us when we go back...we want you guys  there for the birth.”

Maria and Phil looked at each other and them back at me.

"We'd be honored...", Phil replied, holding Maria's hand.

“Dr. Banner, we’re going to be moving her back soon, so come with us.”, one of the nurses said.

“Wait. Bruce, before you take her back….”, Ivan said, “I want to wish her well and to tell her something important.”

“You can come back with us if you want to.”, I said.

Ivan shook his head.

“No, I may have been an assassin and a spy, but I witnessed childbirth once in a Russian hospital and I must say that I couldn’t handle it... I've seen things in my life that I wish I could erase from my memory, but all of those gruesome sights pale in comparison to the memory of witnessing birth... I would only be in the doctor’s way.”

“Suit yourself.”, I said with a shrug.

Childbirth was something I got somewhat used to in Calcutta, of course I was never helping the mother deliver, I was there to make sure that there was enough supplies and that the mother and child were alright after the birth.The local woman who assisted me in my practice was a seasoned midwife and a highly respected women’s health expert who knew more about natural remedies and delivering babies than I probably ever will.

We went back to Natasha’s room and Dr. Hiddleston was flipping through Natasha’s file to see if there were any potential concerns.

He pointed at me and then at the cabinet behind him.

“Dr. Banner, it’s standard procedure to put on external wear scrubs and gloves before heading back into the delivery room, tell the godparents to do the same.”

I nodded as I pulled on a set of  scrubs and washed my hands before having a nurse help me pull on a pair of gloves.

I glanced at Ivan who kissed his daughter on her forehead, murmuring something in Russian before standing and coming over to me.

“You are a good man Bruce. I know you can take care of my daughter, you have proved that to me in the past three months. You have earned my trust and now I need you to promise me this.”

“What’s that?”, I asked.

“Give my grandchild what they will need to surpass their fellows. Give them roots to stand firm in the face of adversity and wings so their dreams can take flight. Raise them well and do not doubt yourself, for every man fears that he will not be a good father but in some way or another, he will end up doing something good. I know you had a rough upbringing and your father wasn’t the best role model, but he did give you something that you will never lose.”, Ivan placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “He gave you the passion to become a better man and a better father than he was. You are my son, and I have faith in you to take care of my little girl.”

He smiled and clapped me on the shoulder before walking away. 

Dr. Hiddleston came over to us and said that we would be heading back to the delivery room now.

Maria and Phil both nodded before pulling on some scrubs and following Natasha, Dr. Hiddleston, and I  back to the delivery room as everyone else wished Natasha the best of luck.

My heart was racing as Natasha began to breathe heavier. An older woman with a motherly look about her came over to Natasha and introduced herself.

“Mrs. Banner, I’m Audrey Dunner and I’ll be the midwife assisting you in the birth of your child.”

“Nice to meet you.”, Natasha hissed through her teeth.

“Now, Dr. Hiddleston and I will tell you what to do, so here we go. Listen to me; breathe. Inhale through the nose, exhale out of the mouth. Making sure you keep breathing is the most important part of the birth.”

Natasha nodded and inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled through her mouth.

“Good, keep that up.”, Audrey instructed.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

_Just keep breathing._

It had been almost seven hours since I had gone into labor and I was beginning to notice how there was less and less space between my contractions. I couldn’t feel anything but an annoying dull pain from my waist down with the occasional contraction cutting through, causing me to cry out as the wall clock told the time.

_June 17 th, ten thirty pm._

The baby would be born one week early.

 _“Impatient little baby.”,_ I thought to myself as I whimpered pitifully, another contraction moving through, as the last one was barely subsiding.

Why wasn’t anything happening?

 It took seven hours for Jane to have demigod twins and I was fast approaching eight hours and the only thing I had produced was the occasional scream.    

Audrey was telling me to keep up the good work, but now I was beginning to wonder exactly how much progress I had made in seven and a half hours.

Bruce had taken to pacing by my bedside, glancing down at his feet and giving me apologetic looks as I cried out in pain, and I could tell he was mentally tortured by my screams, blaming himself for the ordeal I was going through.

“Bruce.”, I grimaced as the pain rolled through me, “What’s going on? Can I start pushing yet?”

I glanced at Dr. Hiddleston and Audrey, who shook their heads.

“You’re dilated all the way, but the baby has to come just a tiny bit further down the birth canal before you can start pushing. This is why birth takes so long.”

“Just a bit longer dear, if you don’t deliver in a few more hours, we’ll have to perform a Caesarian section.”, Audrey said, running a cold damp cloth over my forehead.

Bruce lifted his head at  her words.

“Natasha, how do you feel about getting a C-section?”, he asked.

I shrugged.

“If it means we get to see our baby, then I don’t mind. Besides, I already have a ton of scars. What harm is one or two more going to do?”, I asked.

Maria spoke now.

“Put you out of work for an extra two weeks. It’s standard protocol.”

“Oh well, I oof-”, I said, clutching my abdomen as I felt a shift, followed by a sharp pain.

“Wait a moment! Natasha! Start pushing on my signal!”, Audrey yelled.

Now we were getting somewhere.

A random nurse stuck her head in the door.

“Pardon my intrusion, but as you already know, this is a teaching hospital. I'm Dr. Bradshaw and I teach a night class of undergrad med students here at the hospital and, as part of their training and education, they have to observe a birth. Mrs. Banner, would you mind having fifteen of my students observe your birth?”

I screamed as my strongest contraction hit me like a tractor-trailer.

“DOES IT LOOK LIKE I WANT A FUCKING AUDIENCE?”, I snarled at the nurse, "I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF GODDAMN LABOR!!! I DO NOT WANT A GROUP OF FUCKING MED STUDENTS WATCHING ME GIVE BIRTH!!!"

I started screaming and cursing in rapid Russian as I looked around for something to throw at her.  

The nurse ducked out of the room quickly before I could chew her out further.

Bruce was at my side, murmuring words of encouragement into my ear, trying to calm me down.

“Natasha, you’re doing so well. Just a little bit longer.”

“Push!”

I pushed as hard as I could, using all my strength as pain sliced through me rapidly.

“AUGHHHH!”

I swore loudly in Russian as the pain of another contraction coursed through me, igniting every nerve in my body.

“It’s crowning!!”, Dr. Hiddleston said excitedly.

“Push!”, Audrey instructed, “We almost have the head!”

“FUCKING HELL, THIS HURTS!!”, I screamed, pushing again and feeling proud when I heard Maria say in amazement, “The head is almost out!”, while Phil muttered, “I think I’m gonna hurl.”, before he ran to the trashcan and I heard him retching.

Bruce cringed when I screamed again.

My contractions fused together and became one steady blur of the most intense pain I had ever felt in my life.

“One more time! You’re doing great Natasha! We have the head! One more push and we'll have the shoulders!”

I pushed again, delivering the shoulders.

"Almost there! One more time for the rest of the baby!"

I pushed again, screaming loudly as I gave this final push all I had, and I felt a release of pressure as Maria, Dr. Hiddleston, Audrey and Phil (having overcome his nausea) all congratulated me.

"Well done Natasha! Congratulations on a very successful delivery!" 

I slumped back on the pillows and watched as Dr. Hiddleston syringed out the nose and mouth of the baby and then I heard the baby cry for the first time, it was clear and strong.

I started crying.

 Bruce pulled off his glasses and wiped his tears away. The cord was cut and the baby was placed on my abdomen to be dried off.

I had read in one of the birth books that skin to skin contact was very important directly after birth.

Bruce leaned down and pulled off his surgical mask to kiss me.

“You did so well Natasha. I’m so proud of you.”, he murmured softly.

The words that came next made me cry harder.

“Congratulations, it’s a girl!”

“Bruce…We have a daughter...”, I whispered as the news sank in.

“A daughter….”, Bruce breathed, looking up as he went, and I somehow knew he was thinking of his mother and sister.

I couldn’t help but send some thoughts towards my parents, wherever their souls may be.

Audrey brought over a wriggling, crying, pink bundle and grinned as she handed the bundle to me as Phil snapped a picture on his phone.

“Congratulations.”

I took my daughter with shaking arms and kissed her as Phil took another picture.  She quieted in my arms as I rocked her back and forth gently.

She opened her eyes and looked at me with wide brown eyes, clearly her father’s daughter.

“She has your eyes Bruce.”, I said with a yawn, exhausted from the labor, and I handed our daughter to Bruce who leaned in to plant a kiss on his daughter’s forehead before he took her with trembling arms.

 “She’s so small.”, he murmured in wonder as I reached into his pocket to grab his phone and take a picture of him holding his daughter for the first time.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

My little girl wriggled in my arms as I held her for the first time.

_My little girl._

The one thing I always wanted, the one thing that I had never been able to have until now, and here she was after so many long months.

She was worth every hour of the wait.

She was perfect, just like her mother, and she had my eyes.

She was so small and fragile, but she had enough strength to bring the world around me to a complete halt.

I had only held her for a second but a second was all it took for her to wrap me around her little finger.

All the missing pieces of me fell into place.

_“Hulk love his little girl, Hulk happy.”_

Audrey and Dr. Hiddleston moved Natasha to another gurney after cleaning her up, removing the epidural catheter as well as the uterine contractions monitor and baby heart rate monitor, and putting a new gown on her.

Phil and Maria came over to where I stood next to Natasha.

“She’s beautiful.”, Phil said. “What are you going to name her?”

I turned to Natasha and then glanced at the baby in my arms, noticing how much they looked alike. She had the same eyes that both Grace and I had had and she had Natasha’s nose.

“I think we should name her Anastasia Grace.”, Natasha said from where she laid, yawning as a nurse put an IV in her arm.

“Anastasia Grace…”, I murmured, glancing down at my sleeping daughter, “I like that name.”

“It’s a beautiful name.”, Maria added as Phil nodded.

Audrey came over to us.

 “Have you named her yet?”, she asked.

“Yes, her name is Anastasia Grace Banner.”, I replied proudly.

“That’s such a pretty name. We’re going to move Natasha and Anastasia to their postpartum room now and you can stay with her. The godparents can come back if they want to, but it’s up to Natasha. Most mothers don’t want to have an audience when they try to feed their baby for the first time. I will have to be there because I’m the midwife that is observing, just to make sure you’re doing it the right way.”, she explained as Natasha nodded.

Phil held his wife’s hand.

“I think Maria and I should go now and respect your privacy. We’ll let you tell everyone that it’s a girl.”, he said, addressing us with a nod.

“Okay thanks Phil, thanks Maria. You guys were great.”, Natasha yawned as they left the room.

As they walked away, I heard Maria say, “Phil, halfway through that delivery I decided that I didn't want kids, then I saw the actual birth and decided that I NEVER wanted kids, then I saw how happy they were once the birth was over... Now I really want kids...”, and Phil chuckled.

Natasha and I went back to the postpartum room and I massaged Natasha’s neck as she learned how to feed Anastasia properly.

“I can’t believe this was what was growing inside you for nine months. I mean, I believe it, but it…she’s just so incredible.”, I said as Anastasia fell asleep in Natasha’s arms after being fed.

“Yes she is."

Anastasia wriggled in her sleep and I smiled as she gripped Natasha's little finger with her whole fist.

"Bruce, I love you.”

“I love you too.”, I said as I ran my fingers through Natasha's blood red locks and then she murmured,

“Take Anastasia, I’m really exhausted from bringing  her into the world. I just want to sleep now.”

“Here,” I said, holding out my arms to receive my daughter. “I’ll take her.”

“Thanks honey...”, she yawned as I kissed her one more time, “Goodnight.”

“Sleep well, Natasha.”, I said as Audrey turned out the harsh overhead lights so that the soft glow of the bedside lamp was casting shadows over my sleeping wife.

Audrey closed the door behind us and said,

“We have to take Anastasia to the nursery now, but you can visit her and stay all of tomorrow if you want to, that’s how many fathers are, they want to spend as much time as they can with their newborn child and wife. Natasha will probably be up and about by tomorrow and she will be moved into one of the best rooms we have to offer.”

“What? That’s very generous of you, but…”, I trailed off.

Audrey raised her hand to silence me.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s the least we can do for you after you’ve protected all of us for the past two years.”

 “We’ve done what now?”, I said, getting a bit nervous that she was going to blow all of our covers.

“Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with us. Remember, we would be breaking federal law if we were to say a single word about any of our patients. I overheard Tony and Pepper Stark telling my friend in booking that they wanted the finest private room that we had to offer. Then I realized who you all were. You are Dr. Bruce Banner, better known as the Hulk. Natasha Banner is the Black Widow. The tall blonde man with the long hair in the waiting area is Thor, the Asgardian Prince and God of Thunder, and he’s with his wife, Dr. Jane Odinson. The man with the short black hair and intense green eyes is Loki Laufeyson and he's a Jotun. He's with  Dr. Odinson’s assistant Darcy Lewis. The other blonde man is Captain America and the girl with him is Beth Covington, the girl who was almost shot last year by that one guy but she took him out with a pole. The man with the purple t shirt on is Hawkeye and that pretty British woman with him is Serena Atwell.”, she listed. “I was wondering if I could get them to autograph a team photo so I could give it to my seven year old son, Ben. He’s a big fan of  the Avengers.”

I nodded and kissed my daughter goodnight before handing her over to Audrey who put her in the nursery with all the other newborn babies. I walked out of the maternity ward with her into the waiting room where everyone else was sitting.

Tony picked his head up off of Pepper’s lap.

“So? What is it?”

I grinned broadly and said,

“It’s a girl. Her name is Anastasia Grace Banner.”

“I have a granddaughter?”, Ivan asked in wonder before embracing me and laughing, “Congratulations Bruce!”

I watched as half of them dug out their wallets and began to pay the other half while congratulating me.

“So when can we see them?”, Beth asked.

“Tomorrow. But we have to go home now.”

Audrey tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a photo of just the guys and Natasha.

“Oh but before we go, this is Audrey Dunner, she’s the midwife that helped Natasha with the birth. She wants everybody to autograph a photo for her son.”

“No problem.”, Tony said, digging into the inside pocket of his suit coat and producing a team photo that included the ladies. “This one is complete.”

We all autographed it and handed it to Audrey before saying our goodbyes and leaving.

When we got back to the tower, Tony opened a bottle of champagne and he congratulated me on the birth of my first child, telling me that he finally told Pepper about his fertility problem.

Pepper had been very understanding and she had promised that she would help him adjust his diet to increase their chances. She also decided to go off of her birth control and to stop using protection in two weeks.

I wished Tony good luck and then turned in for the night after taking Snowy outside to do her business.

When I got back to my apartment, I ate and showered before standing in the doorway to the nursery for a long time.

My thoughts never strayed from my baby girl.

Who would she grow up to be? Would she be a scientist like me? Would she be an assassin like Natasha? Did she even have my half? Would she like me? Would I be a good father?

I pushed all my doubts aside as I pulled my glasses off and switched out the lights.

I found that the bed  seemed a lot bigger without Natasha by my side, but that didn’t stop me from falling into a dreamless sleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

* * *

 


	26. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and Anastasia come home from the hospital.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

“Ah it’s so good to be home.”, I sighed, walking into the living room of the apartment after being in the hospital for two days and getting refitted for my bridesmaids dress.

I had a lot of training to get caught up on now that I was much skinnier, but that could wait, right now I was focused on my baby girl.

“Well I’m just glad to have both my beautiful ladies back at home.”, Bruce said as he stood beside me with Anastasia’s stroller, gazing lovingly upon our squirming daughter.

“She’s so adorable.”, I murmured as I reached down to pick her up.

“Our little girl…”, Bruce whispered, planting a kiss on Anastasia’s forehead as she made little baby noises.

My girl squirmed around some more before she started to cry and I frowned.

“She probably has to be changed again.”, I sighed, “or maybe she’s hungry.”

Bruce shook his head.

“I don’t know, just check both and while you’re doing that, I’ll take Snowy out to do her business.”, he said, glancing at our puppy (now much bigger than when we got her in December) who was sitting by the door, a sure sign that she had to go outside.

“Okay, hurry back.”, I said, rocking Anastasia gently as Bruce nodded, grabbed Snowy’s leash and left.

 _“My little one, what troubles you so?”_ , I murmured in Russian as I took my daughter back to her nursery, changed her diaper, put some clean pajamas on her and sat down to see if she was hungry.

She didn’t feed, but she did stop crying, so I put her in her crib, guessing that she was probably just tired from her eventful day.

She fell asleep and I watched over her.

I laughed to myself as I recalled the words I had spoken to Clint in 2006, six years before the Battle of New York, eight years ago as of last month, and several months after I had joined SHIELD.

* * *

**Flashback**

“Tasha, have you ever thought of settling down someday and starting a family?”, Clint asked, looking up from his lunch.

I laughed at his question.

_“Me? A mother?”_

Just the thought of that made me laugh.

I had been sterilized by the Red Room ages ago so having kids was never an option for me anyway, sometimes I missed having the choice but most of the time I was grateful for the tubal ligation.

“Barton, you’re a dumbass.”

“Why? For asking you if you ever thought about having a family of your own someday?”

I rolled my eyes at the archer.

“Clint, a family requires love. You know that love is for children, it’s not something I choose to believe in.”

Clint huffed in agitation.

“Look, I know that love is not something that _you_ believe in… I know how you feel about love, you think it’s just bullshit, but have you ever thought of yourself and figure that, I don’t know, maybe seven or eight years from now, you could be a mother?”

I shook my head.

“Not a chance. Could you even imagine me, the Black Widow, being a mother? It’s impossible for me to become one... I had my tubes tied when I was a teenager, so there. I can’t have kids.”

“You may want to adopt them…”

“Clint, I HATE kids. I would NOT be a good mother even if I wanted to.”, I stated, punctuating my words to emphasize how wrong his thoughts were.

“Whatever you say Tasha…Whatever you say…”, he said before taking a huge bite out of his sandwich.

**End Flashback**

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I shook my  head at the memory before reaching into the crib to pull the blanket over my baby’s back so she was covered up to her shoulders.

A year after that conversation, I found out that I was not sterilized.

After that, I always made sure I lured my marks to bed and snapped their necks before anything else happened. 

Clint was so right about me though, and now, eight years later, I was finally eating crow.

I gazed at the product of Bruce’s and my own combined DNA and love for one another and I smiled, finally realizing that eating crow could be quite a delicacy if you prepared it just right.

Bruce came into the nursery and whispered, “Is she asleep?”

I nodded and embraced my husband.

“She is so amazing.”, he said with wonder.

“Yes, I can’t believe I carried her for nine months…we were so worried that something would go wrong…looks like everything turned out just as we had always dreamed it would.”

“Funny how things happen the way they do…”

I smiled as Bruce rested his hand next to mine on the edge of the crib.

 We stood in silence for a long time until I glanced at my watch and saw that it was almost dinnertime.

“Bruce, we have to go to dinner…”, I murmured.

 Bruce and I put in our communicators and synced it with the baby monitor that Tony had invented.

“Okay…Jarvis, keep us posted on Anastasia’s actions and if she wakes up you tell us.”, Bruce said to the AI.

When we were on the elevator, I wrapped my arms around Bruce and kissed him slowly.

It had been two very long weeks since we had been told to abstain and it would be another six weeks until I went back on birth control.

I didn’t want to wait a month and a half…I would be going insane.

“Natasha...”, Bruce began as we broke the kiss, “I want you so badly…but we can’t do this until you are completely healed up and back on your birth control.”

I sighed and rested my head on his chest.

“I know”, I murmured, “The tension will be unbearable.”

“For me, it already is, but it’s nothing I can’t deal with.”, Bruce replied.

“You know, just because I’m suffering doesn’t mean that you have to…You can take care of it on your own if the Hulk starts protesting.”, I stated, unsure of whether or not the Hulk would even notice the sexual tension between us.

Bruce shook his head.

“No. It won’t come to that. I’m not some horny teenager who can’t control himself, I am a grown man who just has to do without because his lovely wife is on the mend. The Hulk can protest all he wants, but I would never, ever, stoop to that level.”

I placed my hand on Bruce’s cheek and smiled at him.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“You loved me when I was feeling green and gave me hope when all seemed lost.”, he replied.

“I love you Bruce.”

“I love you too.”

We got off the elevator and I slipped my hand into Bruce’s as we went to dinner and I sighed.

 My stomach growled as a delicious smell wafted towards me.

All that hospital food had made me long for a home cooked meal, something to fill the void made by gross jello parfaits and mystery meat… thank goodness that a bowl of Thor’s Asgardian-style chicken noodle soup could do just that.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

“So is Anastasia sleeping through the night?”, Jane asked as she fez Liz a spoonful of peas, the blonde baby girl eating them happily before clapping her hands together and saying “mama”, one of the words she had learned almost a month ago.

“Yeah, she’s a little noisy, but she’s sleeping pretty soundly now.”, I replied, tapping my communicator.

“Well that’s good.”, she said, turning to Natasha, “How are you feeling?”

My wife sighed and said,

“About as light as a feather… I weigh one hundred and thirty pounds instead of one hundred and fifty pounds like I did two weeks ago at the height of my pregnancy. I can’t wait for my six week checkup.”

Jane nodded.

“I know the feeling all too well and I swear that the six weeks will fly by. You’ll be too tired at night from taking care of Anastasia all day to even _think_  about doing anything but getting a full night's sleep.”, the astrophysicist stated as she hoisted Ed and Liz into her arms to whisk them off to their nursery.

Thor got up and followed his wife as Steve and Beth cleared the table and Darcy and Loki went to do dishes. I was left to sit with Natasha and I ran my thumb over the back of her hand.

“We can wait. Everyone else who has been in our situation has done it… let’s not make ourselves any exception…”, Natasha said softly.

“Yeah…”, I agreed.

We sat in silence until both of us yelped.

Anastasia’s strong wail made us go deaf in our right ears as her cry was magnified through the communicators, which we both pulled out of our ears and threw on the table before racing off to go to our daughter’s aid.

“I guess this is what Jane was talking about.”, Natasha huffed as we ran down the stairs to our floor.

“You think?”, I asked sarcastically as we ran down the hall to our apartment.

We raced into the nursery and I rushed over to the crib.

My heart almost stopped when I peered over the edge.

Anastasia’s eyes had turned radioactive green and her skin had taken on a greenish hue.

Natasha paid no mind to the color of her eyes or skin, and if she did, she probably decided to stay quiet and just calm our daughter down for the time being.

I felt my perfect world come crashing down around me as I backed into a wall, my eyes still on Anastasia as she was comforted by Natasha. I slid down the wall, putting my hand over my mouth to keep myself from screaming as my tears flowed down my cheeks.

The Hulk was, like me, stunned into silence at the horrible thing I had done to such an innocent baby and to my own wife.

Because of me, Anastasia would have to live with this deep hatred towards me for giving her a version of my other half, she would grow up and know that she’s different, all because of her father.

Because of me, Natasha’s life would be ruined and she wouldn’t be able to have normal children with me.

It was all my fault.

I watched as Anastasia quieted and the green hue left her skin, Natasha singing to her softly in a mix of English and Russian lullabies.

 When she was silent and had fallen back asleep, Natasha put her back into the crib and then walked towards me, sinking down on her knees next to me.

“Bruce…”, she said softly, taking my hand, “I don’t blame you for anything.”

I looked into her emerald eyes and saw a stray tear roll down her cheek before she hurriedly brushed it away.

“This was my fault though…”, I began quietly, the tears finally stopping, “Our daughter is now like me…a monster…”

“Bruce, you are not a monster.”

“I ruined her life before it even began…”, I said, looking at Natasha and knowing she was on the verge of tears.

“Bruce. Stop beating yourself up… It won’t help…”, she said, finally breaking down into tears.

“Natasha…I’m so sorry I did this to you…”, I whispered as I embraced her.

“Don’t be sorry, you…you couldn’t help it… this-This is just one of those things that happens…”, she choked out.

The sight of her crying was tearing me up inside, killing me slowly and painfully.

“Natasha…Please don’t cry… I’m sorry…for everything…”, I murmured, standing up to go to the lab and give her some space like she usually needed when she was upset..

She grabbed my leg as I stood and she clung to it like it was her lifeline.

“Bruce….Please don’t leave me… Stay by my side…”

 I sank back down on my knees and cupped her face in my hands, looking into her red rimmed eyes as I brushed her tears away with my thumbs.

“Natasha, I will never ever leave you… I just feel so terrible for putting you and Anastasia through all of this…”

“I’m just glad that she calmed down quickly and didn’t destroy anything…”.

I lifted my head at that.

“That doesn’t sound like something the Hulk can do…I usually have to let the Hulk out once I’ve taken on a greenish hue and, like a virus, let it run its course.”

“You mean…there might be a chance that Anastasia is only like you in some ways? Do you think she’s some sort of hybrid?”, Natasha asked, looking at me and then glancing at the crib.

“My DNA is crossed with the radiation from my accident which turned me into a half human hybrid. When we conceived her, my DNA crossed with your DNA… so maybe she’s more human than I will ever be… instead of being half-human, half-Hulk like me, she’s three quarters human and one quarter Hulk.”, I hypothesized, glancing over to the crib where our daughter slept.

Natasha dried her tears.

“What?”

“She could be more normal than we thought… but I want to run some tests on her, but none for now…”, I said, the scientist in me taking over and bringing hope into a seemingly hopeless situation.

“We’ll be okay then…Won’t we?”, Natasha asked as I helped her off her knees.

“Yes,”, I murmured, “I swear on my life that we’ll be just fine.”

I felt her smile at my words, the same phrase that had brought us together, was now keeping us from falling apart, binding us in a web of promises we would fulfill to one another in the coming decades.

All of that was what was to come, but for now, I just wanted to be as human as I could with Natasha and Anastasia safe and sound.

In a couple more weeks, I’m sure everything will turn out just fine.

* * *

**A few weeks later…**

**Natasha POV**

“Bruce? Do you have the large diaper bag packed?”, I called as I fed Anastasia.

 We would be leaving the tower for the airport in less than an hour where we would be flying to Oxford for Steve and Beth’s wedding.

“Yeah, I’m just going to run to the lab and see if I got the results back yet. All the bags are packed and in the car and Snowy is in her travel kennel, all ready to go. Everything’s downstairs except us.”, he said, poking his head in the nursery doorway as I rocked back and forth in the rocking chair.

Bruce had been running various tests on our daughter to determine how high the radiation levels in her body were. At first, I hadn’t liked the idea of him running tests our newborn, but the tests had been conducted smoothly and all we had to do was wait for the results.

I nodded as Bruce smiled and ran off  to the lab.

“Hurry back!”, I called after him.

I tucked Anastasia into her car seat/carrier and smiled as she nodded off.

Ever since her last incident with whatever form of the Hulk that was inside of her, I made sure that I took her with me wherever I went.

If I was working out in the gym, Anastasia would be in her carrier while I was getting back in shape.

Anastasia would never be with Bruce in the lab though…I would never place her in danger like that, and I don’t mean that the Hulk would be a threat, I just didn’t like Tony’s habit of blowing things up.

I picked up the carrier and left the apartment, taking the elevator down to the lobby.

The elevator stopped on the 38th level which was Phil and Maria’s floor.

The doors slid open and the two senior agents boarded the elevator, hand in hand.

“Hey guys.”, I greeted.

Maria knelt down and smiled warmly at Anastasia before cooing at her.

I tilted my head to one side and I noticed something different about the way she smiled as she stood up.

Like she was hiding something…

Phil had the same smile on his face.

“Maria? Phil? Are you two keeping a secret?”, I asked, quirking an eyebrow at the couple.

They cast a look at each other and Phil nodded in response to my question.  
“Yes, we are keeping a secret.”, Maria said.

“Well is it top secret? Because I may be on maternity leave from work, but I’m still security level 7, so you don’t have to leave me out of the loop…”

“No.”, Phil shook his head, “It’s got nothing to do with SHIELD.”

“So are you going to make me guess?”, I chuckled.

“No… We were going to tell everyone after Steve and Beth came back from their honeymoon, but I guess we can tell you now.”, Maria said, grasping her husband’s hand.

Then I saw it. The look that Jane had before she told us…

“I’m pregnant!”, Maria exclaimed.

The elevator doors opened and Maria looked out where everyone else was gathered together, ready to go to the airport.

Maria had just announced her news to everyone.

Everyone stared at them for a second and then began shouting their congratulations.

 I asked Maria when she was due.

“Actually, I was told yesterday by my personal doctor. We won’t know the exact date until I figure out when I conceived.”, she replied, beaming.

I was happy for the two of them. They deserved this and Maria had told me before how many times she and Phil had tried, and failed, to conceive. Their happiness was almost infectious, and I broke out into a wide grin.

“We wanted to wait to tell everyone, that way we wouldn’t be upstaging your wedding.”, Phil nodded to Steve and Beth who waved their hands.

“You aren’t upstaging anyone, we’re happy to celebrate this news with you two.”, Steve said, clapping Phil on the shoulder.

Bruce pulled me aside and handed me a piece of paper with a straight face.

“Here are the results of the DNA tests.”

I glanced down at the paper and felt my happy mood go down the drain.

_One fourth of every cell in her body is composed of radioactive materials, just like Bruce had hypothesized._

“Well, you weren’t wrong.”, I sighed as I went outside and got into the car, swiftly buckling in Anastasia as I went.

“No I wasn’t wrong,” , Bruce said softly. “At least she can control her form of the Hulk. She’ll only transform in times of severe trauma which was why she almost changed two weeks ago.”

I nodded. I would’ve been scared too if I had woken up in a strange room with my mother and father nowhere to be found. No wonder she changed.

“Will she be okay though?”, I asked, intertwining our fingers.

“I don’t know yet, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

I stared out the window as the city rushed by, not really sure how we would face this new challenge of raising Anastasia but knowing that we would do it together.

* * *

 


	27. Family Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team travels to Oxford for the wedding of Steve and Beth. Natasha and Bruce haven't told anyone but Tony about Anastasia's "other side", even Ivan is still in the dark.  
> What will happen when things come to light?

 

* * *

**Bruce POV**

“Welcome to Oxford!”, Beth said as we walked across the tarmac at the small airport.

Soon we reached the building and was surprised when I saw a large crowd of people gathered there.

 It looked like the whole town had come out to welcome Beth home and to meet her fiance.

As Beth was reunited with her family and friends, I looked for Natasha until I remembered that she was probably feeding Anastasia on the jet.

I walked back to the jet and looked in the cabin where I found Natasha changing Anastasia’s diaper instead.

“Hey, how is she?”, I asked.

“She’s fine…She wasn’t hungry, but she did need me.”, Natasha answered quietly, not meeting my gaze.

“Natasha, something’s wrong…I can tell… it’s not about keeping Anastasia’s condition a secret from Ivan, is it?”

 She nodded wordlessly and I sighed.

"Ivan would  _hate_ me if he found out the truth...", I said. 

Natasha replied, "I'm sure he wouldn't hate you, I think it would be better for us to be honest and tell him the truth in a way that won't shock him too bad... he'll be angrier at both of us if he finds out on his own."

I picked up Anastasia as her bottom lip began to quiver.

“Shh, there now… don’t cry… Daddy’s here…”, I cooed to her.

We got off the plane and walked over to the SUV’s that SHIELD had sent for us and the gentle swaying of my body as I walked must have lulled her to sleep because she was curled into my chest and her little hand was on my heart, clutching the front of my button down shirt.

She was perfect to me, part Hulk or not. She was my little girl.

I buckled her into her car seat and Natasha slid in next to me in the third row of seats after putting Snowy’s carrier in the back. Beth made sure we were all set before leading our procession of black vehicles out of the airport.  

Natasha placed her hand on my lower thigh in what I guess was supposed to be a reassuring manner but I shuddered as I inhaled, trying not to get turned on by her subtle moves.

_Just a couple more weeks…just a couple more weeks until she’s mine again…_

I could do this. I could keep myself from taking her the instant we got settled into our hotel room.

“Bruce…You seem really tense. Is everything okay?”, she whispered and I shook my head.

“Not with you here…and I mean that lovingly… I can hardly keep myself from pushing you up against the nearest flat surface, and that just sounds weird and out of my usual character, but I’m deprived here…”, I whispered so low that the hum of the engine prevented anyone from eavesdropping.

Natasha kissed me on my cheek and murmured,

“Just a couple more weeks… don’t worry.”, she reassured gently before she removed her hand from where it had been lazily caressing my thigh and placed her hand in mine instead.

“Okay guys, here we are!”, Beth pointed from the driver’s seat at the hotel where we would be staying.

“Sorry it’s not a five-star luxury hotel, but it’s all we have for a town of 800 people.”, she said with a shrug. “Oh and Snowy is allowed here…My parents know the owners and since the hotel isn’t a part of a chain, you can bring her in.”

She and Steve would be staying in the Covington’s farm house until the wedding.

Steve had sighed in a minute display of discomfort and longing when he learned that he and Beth would be sleeping in separate bedrooms for a week and that they had to abstain until their honeymoon in Fiji.  

We went up to our room and unpacked, Anastasia began to stir as I lifted her out of her car seat and sat on the edge of the bed. I cradled her in one of my arms carefully while she wrapped her tiny hand around my pointer finger on the other hand.

Natasha stretched and yawned as she sat down next to me and rested her head on my shoulder so she could watch Anastasia.

“I’m still in awe…”, she said softly. “It’s so amazing to see her like this, and she is so beautiful.”

I nodded before glancing down at our daughter. She was a month old and she had light reddish brown hair now instead of the dark brown, almost black, hair she had when she was born.

Anastasia began to cry and Natasha quickly took her from me before feeding her.

Seeing this motherly side of Natasha was a remarkable thing and it made perfect sense now what Thor had told me before Anastasia was born, that Natasha would be more beautiful than anything in the world as her maternal instincts kicked in.

Natasha cooed softly to our daughter in Russian as she began to drift off again.

Anastasia slept a lot (as most infants tend to do) but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a handful.

I couldn’t begin to count the number of times when I had been doing something in the lab, sleeping, or even sharing a kiss with Natasha when Anastasia ended up interrupting the moment.

I love her to death, but she's got some bad timing.

I watched as Natasha laid her in the portable crib and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I straightened up and found Bruce staring at me over the rims of his glasses with a gentle smile on his lips.

“What are you staring at?”, I asked rhetorically.

He sighed before pulling his glasses off and running a hand through his curls, still smiling at me.

“Can’t a husband look at his wife?

“Of course he can… but his stare is getting his wife hot and bothered, so her husband might want to tone it down a bit.”, I replied slowly, climbing up on the bed.

Bruce moved over to where I was and stretched out on the pillows. I smiled and laid my head on his chest.

“Is my heartbeat still calming to you?”, he asked.

“Yes.”, I replied softly, listening to the gentle rhythm.

“Natasha, I was thinking about something the other day. What happens after an agent retires? When do they get to retire? When do _you_ get to retire?”

I stared blankly at the ceiling and a tear slid down my face. Most of us didn’t live past age forty because we were killed in action. Retirement was never an option because an agent always knew too much about one thing or another to leave the business altogether, they would become a liability. If I had the chance to retire, I would take it. I wouldn’t regret too many things about leaving aside from the coworkers that I had grown close to over the years and sights I had seen from my world travels. I would miss working with Clint because, although we had dated years ago, he was more like a brother to me than any other person I had ever known. I would miss scaring the crap out of new recruits. But I would miss being an Avenger the most.

“Bruce, I don’t get to retire…Most agents die long before they reach their fiftieth birthday. If we do end up living into our forties or fifties, we don’t retire. We become senior agents like Nick, Phil, and Ivan. They are the lucky ones. Only about seven out of every hundred agents makes it to age forty.”, I turned on my side and sniffled, tears still falling from my eyes, “I hope I’m in the surviving minority.”

Bruce saw me crying and he shifted so he was laying on his side and facing me.

“Hey Natasha, please don’t cry…I’m sure, no, I _know_ that you will beat those odds because you beat the odds when you were with the Red Room and fought to be the last one alive, because you’ve fought so many bigger, stronger men. Because you had the courage to find me, even if you knew that I was dangerous.”

“I know Bruce…”, I cried harder now, “I just have to live for Anastasia and you… What if I meet my end and she doesn’t know me?”

“She _will_ know you, because you _will_ live. I’ll make sure you do.”, Bruce whispered, wiping my tears away with his thumbs before continuing, “Because I don’t think I could live a single day without you.”

We laid in silence until I broke it,

“What do you think will happen when she’s a teenager?”

“I think she’ll be giving all the boys heart attacks, sending the honors students running for cover, and putting the athletes and dancers to shame.”

“She’ll also be giving us grey hair. “, I chuckled as I imagined Anastasia, seventeen and full of energy and potential. She would do so well in her life with all her inherited talents… I only hope she didn’t inherit a quick temper from me or Bruce’s father, that would make her condition harder to cover up.

“It’s late and we don’t want to miss the sightseeing tomorrow. I suggest we try to get some sleep…Goodnight Natasha, I love you.”, Bruce murmured and kissed my cheek as I shifted next to him.

I soon fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

On the morning of the wedding a couple days later, I had put on my tuxedo and Natasha had pulled on her dress without any problems.

Then Anastasia woke up.

I spent a good bit of time trying to get Anastasia to turn back into a normal baby… the change in scenery had been very abrupt to her and she didn’t recognize her surroundings when she woke up. Fortunately, she didn’t destroy anything and calmed down as Natasha sang a lullaby in Russian and in English.

 The Hulk didn’t like Anastasia’s condition and he blamed himself for turning her into something people would fear…but he still loved her and would do anything for her.

I guess the Hulk and I are more alike than I thought.

At around nine o clock, everyone piled into the SUV’s and we drove out to the Covington farm for the wedding.

“It’s so beautiful out here.”, Natasha murmured as the landscape beyond a white fence rushed by.

There was nothing but rolling green acres of farmland and trees dotted with the occasional building in every direction. I looked for the horizon but it was hard to find the precise point where the earth stopped and heaven began.

Natasha was right, it was beautiful.

We turned onto a dirt driveway and followed the white fence until we reached a large  farmhouse that gave off an aura of being lived in.

“Hey guys!!”, Beth called from an upstairs window. “Steve’s in the barn with a punching bag, and I’m done in the shower, so the ladies can come up and we can get started. Oh and my cousin Crystal is here, she’s offered to watch the kids for Natasha and Jane.”

We clamored out of the SUV’s, I had Anastasia in her car seat carrier and Natasha had Snowy on her leash. Ivan said he wouldn’t mind spending time with his granddaughter and took the car seat carrier from me.

Beth’s mother came out to greet us and she let us put Snowy in the back yard.

“Well isn’t she a cutie.”, Mrs. Covington remarked as she gazed at Anastasia.

I kissed Natasha on the cheek as the men separated from the women until noon when we would pile into the limo to drive over to the North Stable. Beth had explained to us that it was tradition for the bride to ride on horseback to the stable with her maid of honor and take the lower trail and the groom would also ride on horseback but he would take the upper trail with his best man. After the wedding and reception, the newly married couple would get into a carriage and ride to the gates for the farm. After that, they were technically on their own, but Steve had rented a 1940 Cadillac convertible and they would drive to the airport in Kearney to take the smaller Stark Industries jet to LAX and refuel before heading to Fiji.

We walked into the barn and saw Steve hitting the punching bag as hard as he could, taking out his frustrations, anxieties, and fears on it. He gave it a final blow and sent it flying off the stand, sand flying everywhere.

When the bag hit the back wall we heard the chickens in the coop on the other side of the wall begin to cluck madly.

Tony cleared his throat and Steve turned to us.

“Oh hey guys…I didn’t know you were here.”

“Yes well, here we are.”, Tony said with a shrug. “You have to get cleaned up here.”, he said, pointing at the pile of trashed punching bags.

“Yeah I know…I’m just so… jittery.”

“You’ll do fine.”, I supplied, “I was freaking out on my wedding day too…So were Tony, Thor, and Phil… this is normal but it will all vanish when you see her, your bride, coming towards you.”

Phil nodded and added,

“Then the realization happens and it sinks in that this is really happening, you’re finally getting married, and it’s enough to bring a man to tears.”

Thor nodded.

“Aye, many a brave warrior has been known to shed tears at the altar when he lays eyes upon his betrothed. I know I did when Lady Jane and I were wed.”

“You’ll be just fine… when you finally kiss the bride and seal the deal, a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders and I swear, it’s the happiest you’ve ever been in your life… until the wedding night... now _that’s_ happiness.”, Tony finished with a sly wink.

Steve unwrapped the bandages from his hands and sighed.

“I guess you’re right…so many men have done this and didn’t mess up… I didn’t mess up last night at the rehearsal, so I should be fine.”

“That’s the spirit! Now stop terrorizing those hens and go take a shower…you stink.”, Clint said jokingly, earning an eye roll from Steve.

I handed Steve parts of his uniform and helped to get Loki’s tie just right as Tony tried his best to tame my messy waves.

Before I left the room where Loki and Steve were going over the map of the upper trail, Tony pulled me aside and  told me something very important... something that would change my life.

“Hey, Bruce…I was going over your journals and I think we could synthesize a cure…”

“What? A cure to my…”, I could hardly believe him.

“Yeah a cure for the Hulk, a way to reverse the mutations to your DNA from your exposure to gamma radiation…It’s a long shot, but I think it might work…”, he said with a smile.

“If the cure works on me…that means that it would work on Anastasia too…”, I said excitedly, “Maybe my little girl doesn’t have to live with the Hulk after all.”

“Maybe, but remember, your DNA and cells were mutated and her cells were formed with the mutation embedded in your genetic code. Her Hulk is inherited, yours was created.”

I nodded.

“True… But maybe we could try to work around all that…”

“We’ll start working when we get home.”, Tony said as Loki and Steve mounted their horses and rode away. Pepper began talking to Tony about something in hushed tones and I was alone with my own thoughts.

I walked back to the front of the house and waited with the other groomsmen until Beth and her bridesmaids helped Beth and Darcy mount their horses and then we waved as they rode away.

Natasha had her hair pulled back in a messy yet elegant bun and her pale skin stood out against her dark blue halter top gown.

“You look beautiful.”, I said when she stood beside me.

“Thanks, you don’t look so bad yourself.”, she replied as Ivan came out with Anastasia in his arms, a funny expression plastered on his face.

“Natasha, I think she needs to be fed. Perhaps you should go inside and take care of her.”, he said, handing her over to her mother.

“Thanks Papa.”, she said before taking Anastasia inside.

Ivan stood beside me.

“Bruce, how are you feeling?”, he asked in a surprisingly stern voice.

“Fine… just a bit warm in this tuxedo…that’s all.”, I replied hesitantly, unsure of how to respond to his new tone.

“We need to have a talk…just you and I.”, he said and I  followed him into the barn.

Once inside, he closed the door and rounded on me.

“How are you feeling now that I know my granddaughter is a mutant?”, he hissed.

My eyes widened and Ivan glared at me.

“I…uh… I’m sorry.”, I stammered out, unsure of what else to say.

“You’d better be. My daughter is not only the wife, but now mother of, some _freak_ …and all you can say is sorry? You’ve ruined her life and burdened her with a child who is abnormal, and all you can say is sorry? I knew you two wouldn’t be able to have normal children…I knew this union was doomed to fail. You ruined my granddaughter’s life and all you can say is sorry?”

“Ivan, I don’t know what else I should say!”, I practically roared back, tired of being talked down at.

“You know, I was actually starting to like you… then all of a sudden, my granddaughter turns _green_!!!”, Ivan yelled back. “Maybe I should take Natasha away for her own safety, and the child too, that way I can protect them from a radiation-filled mad scientist like you!!!!”

I felt the Hulk roaring from the back of my mind and knew that it was neither the time nor the place for an incident, but he had threatened to take away the two things that meant the whole world to me.

The Hulk ended up growling out a threat in my voice.

“If you ever, EVER take my wife and daughter away, or even think about harming them, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and kill you!!” 

Ivan pulled out a gun and aimed it at my head as I took a step towards the Russian.

“One more move Dr. Banner, one more, and I shoot.”

Natasha burst into the barn with her gun up, saw me about to Hulk out and Ivan about to shoot me (as if it would do anything), and she yelled at her father.

“Papa!! What is the meaning of this?!?!”

“He has turned your child into a freak! He has destroyed your chances of ever having a normal family!!! I want to take you and Anastasia with me when I leave in two weeks to protect you from the likes of maniacs like him!!”, he explained, his gun still raised to my head.

“Ivan, are you out of your mind?”, she asked, “Bruce is my husband, he is Anastasia’s father and he is a good man, I thought you understood this.”

“I did understand it until I was trying to comfort Anastasia and she turned green!”

“Ivan, put the gun down!”, Phil yelled as he ran into the barn with Clint, Serena, Fury, and Maria right behind him with their guns (or in Clint’s case, his bow) raised.

“And if I don’t? Then what?”, Ivan sneered.

Five handguns were cocked simultaneously as the rest of the wedding party rushed in.

“We shoot you first.”, Clint muttered, drawing his bowstring back, "It'll be painless... I've never missed a shot..."

“Barton, don't flatter yourself! You-- none of you would have the guts to shoot me, especially Natasha who hasn’t killed anyone in over a year!!”, Ivan laughed madly.

“I’ll be the first one to pump you with lead.”, Natasha replied in the hard, no-nonsense voice she used when we were in battle.

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would. Don’t threaten to remove me or my baby from Bruce’s life.”, Natasha said, her gun still trained at Ivan’s head.

Ivan smirked and dropped the gun.

“Touché, my daughter.”, he said smoothly.

“I’m not your daughter.”, Natasha said, spitting venom in her words. “Not even close.”

“Well what do you want me to do? I’m at your mercy…”, Ivan said nonchalantly.

“I want you to leave. Right now. Pack your bags.”, Natasha said, not lowering her weapon.

“I’ll have a maid pack your bags and have them waiting in the lobby of the tower.”, Pepper said before pulling out her phone and walking out.

“Do you really want me to walk out of your life?”, Ivan asked Natasha. “If I leave now, you will never see me again. Is that what you want?”

“You threatened me, my husband, my daughter, and you insulted my friends… I never want to see your face again.”, Natasha said in a deadly voice.

Ivan said something in Russian before walking out, a cruel smile on his face.

Natasha made an inhuman noise and went to grab Ivan, but Maria and Serena held her back.

I hit the floor on all fours and felt the telltale signs of the Hulk taking over.

_“I will not let him win. I will not destroy anyone. I will not change!!”_

* * *

**Natasha POV**

I lowered my gun when Ivan had left and ran over to Bruce, who was fighting to keep the Hulk at bay and had dropped onto all fours.

“Bruce, honey, will you be alright?”

“Yes…is he gone yet?”

I nodded and replied,

“Yes, he’s gone.”

Maria brought Anastasia over in her carrier and said,

“We’ll have to leave soon, all the guests are at the stable and we don’t want to be late.”   

 “Are you okay to go to the car?”, I asked, brushing the stray lock of brown hair off of his forehead, noticing how it had a few streaks of silver in it.

He nodded and then said,

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For ruining your life.”

I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Bruce…You didn’t ruin my life, you made it better…”

“How? By giving you a mutated daughter? For being the reason you miscarried that first time? By almost killing you?”, he muttered.

“No.”, I said sharply, lifting his chin up, “You gave me new  hope, faith, joy, and love. You gave me a reason to live… I love you Bruce, you’re my husband. My rock. My everything. I could never imagine myself living to this age without knowing you.”

I kissed him gently and he smiled.

“I guess we shouldn’t hold up the wedding then…”

I smiled back, glad to see that my husband, my dear Dr. Banner was feeling more like himself again.

 “You won’t miss Ivan?”

“No, he threatened to kill you and tear apart the family.”

“Natasha, we both know that he could never kill me…”

“But the fact still remains that if he did shoot you, the Hulk would have inadvertently destroyed the barn, and I don’t think Mr. and Mrs. Covington would have been too pleased about that.”

“True…”, Bruce replied as we got into the limo.

Anastasia had slept through the whole ordeal but now that we were in motion, she woke up and looked around, her wide brown eyes taking in the faces around her.

Ed and Liz were squirming in their car seats and babbling nonsense that made me smile as Thor and Jane cooed over them. Phil had his hand on Maria’s flat abdomen as if he could almost feel his unborn child growing inside of his wife. Clint and Serena were whispering in each other’s ears and every now and then, Serena would giggle before she whispered back to Clint… those two were perfect together and I hope that, in a few years, they’ll settle down. Pepper was rolling her eyes as Tony talked science with Bruce… I guess some things will never change.

We got out of the limo and went into the back of the stable, pinning on our groomsmen’s red  rosebud boutonnieres as we went.

“Okay people, here we are.”, Darcy said when we were gathered in the back room. “Beth is just putting the finishing touches on her outfit and completing her look. We have five minutes until the procession starts.”, She turned to Steve, Loki and the rest of the groomsmen. “You all look very handsome, especially you Steve, I never knew you had a medal of valor.”, she complimented.

“Yeah I got it during the war…anyway, you were saying?”

“Right, like I was saying, we just do the same thing we did last night… Crystal will watch the youngsters during the procession until everyone’s seated and then they’re all yours, she’ll watch them again when we process out…”, The young political scientist looked around. “Hey, where’s Ivan?”

I spoke up,

“We won’t  be seeing him again… circumstances arose… I’ll explain it later.”

“Okay…”, she checked her watch, “Steve, you have to go up to the altar now. We’ll see you in a few minutes. Just remember to breathe and all… You’ll do fine.”, she reassured as Steve inhaled and exhaled deeply before walking into the large stable, finally on his way to the altar.

I turned to Bruce and straightened his tie again and I couldn’t help but notice how nervous he was getting.

“Bruce… will you be okay?”

“Yeah… The Hulk is still shaken from the confrontation with Ivan…I have some good news though.”

“What’s the good news?”, I asked as we linked arms at the head of the procession, directly behind the ring bearer and flower girls.  

“Tony was flipping through my journals and said that there may be a way to synthesize a cure for the Hulk.”

My spirits soared with his words and I thought of the future for a second, of our small family gathered in the backyard of a suburban home. We could be happy and normal, something that I had always dreamed of being, something Bruce had hoped to become once more.

I kissed him swiftly before Beth entered with her father and caught my attention.

Beth was one of  the prettiest brides I had ever seen. She wore a floor length gown that had a slight flare to it which began directly under her bust. Her shoulders were covered with short lace sleeves. She wore her hair in a half-up with her veil pinned in it. She carried a bouquet of red roses tied together with dark blue ribbons.

Everyone complimented her and she blushed the same shade as her fiance did whenever Tony told a dirty joke.

We processed in and I watched Beth glide down the aisle with all the grace and poise befitting of a queen. I glanced at Steve and actually saw him shed tears like Thor, Phil, Tony, and Bruce had all done on their wedding days.

I held my baby girl in my arms throughout service, until the priest finally said the words everyone had been waiting to hear.

“…By the power vested in me by God and the state of Nebraska, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Captain Rogers, you may kiss your bride.”

The super soldier and the actress kissed like they had been waiting for the moment for all eternity.

We applauded as they broke apart and grinned at the congregation.

“It is my great pleasure to present to you Captain and Mrs. Rogers!”

We processed out into the gigantic party tent and I couldn’t stop thinking about what Bruce had said about the cure for himself and Anastasia.

During my daydream, Darcy had made her maid of honor speech, Loki had made his best man’s speech and now we were eating all kinds of good food.

Soon after, the bride had her father daughter dance and then Steve and Beth danced to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight”.

I stayed seated with Bruce, looking after our baby during the whole reception and only danced a couple of times to “A Love That Will Last” and “Young and Beautiful”.

“Do you think Anastasia will be normal?”, I asked softly.

“If I learned anything from you, I would have to say that I would have hope. Hope that Anastasia will be okay.”, he murmured.

Steve took Beth’s garter off with his teeth and blushed red as a tomato as he flung the accessory across the room. Beth tossed her bouquet and then the newlyweds said their goodbyes as they headed off into the night.

* * *

**Bruce POV**

We went back to the hotel room and showered off from the long day.

Natasha came out of the bathroom in a tank top and athletic shorts before instructing me to lay on my stomach.

I obeyed and then she straddled me and began to work out all the tension in my muscles.

“Good God Natasha… you feel like a professional…”, I moaned as she worked out a really sore muscle.

“Anything for my husband…”, she replied softly, leaning down and kissing my shoulder.

I hugged the pillow and sighed as Natasha removed herself from my back and laid beside me on the bed.

Her green eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting and she glanced to the foot of the bed where Snowy was curled up and sleeping soundly before looking over at Anastasia in the portable crib.

“Bruce?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember my birthday last year?”, she asked.

I closed my eyes and went back in the timeline my memories created.

Before I came to grips with my feelings for Natasha, before we kissed for the first time, before Hawaii, before the miscarriage, before our engagement, before Anastasia, before Snowy… so much had happened in a little more than a year.

But I recalled that morning, when I gave her those gifts as the sun rose on Avengers Tower.

“Yes…”, I replied.

“Do you remember the diary you gave me?”

“Yes.”

“It’s full…I wrote the last entry just an hour ago while you were in the shower…and I flipped through it to the beginning, I flipped through so many pictures and scraps from the most important days…those days where I just had to document those events… Every day is recorded in there, aside from the time I spent in that coma after my birthday…”

“And did you notice anything?”, I asked, wondering if she was feeling the same sensation as I was.

“Yes… I noticed that everyone on the team, has branched out and formed their own families…yet our smaller families are all part of the bigger family… We lost some and gained others. Some things have changed and some things remained the same, yet we all remained true to the other members.”

“It’s funny you should say that… Last year on your birthday during breakfast, I felt like we were actually family… the ultimate example, in fact. Looking back on that, I feel that we aren’t quite at that point yet.”

“I agree, we have to let time determine the state of our family ties.”

We laid in silence for a few more minutes before Anastasia began to stir and then cry.

Natasha went to move but I got up for her.

“You rest…I’ll take care of her.”

“Thanks Bruce.”, she yawned.

I picked up my daughter and shushed her softly before singing the same lullaby that my mother sang to my sister and I when we were little.      

 _“Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,_  
Smiles await you when you rise.  
Sleep,  
Pretty baby,  
Do not cry,  
And I will sing a lullaby.”  
I paused for a moment and Natasha rolled so she was looking at me with a smile gracing her lips.

Anastasia began to nod off and I laid her back in her crib. __  
“Cares you know not,  
Therefore sleep,  
While over you a watch I'll keep.  
Sleep,  
Pretty darling,  
Do not cry,  
And I will sing a lullaby.” 

I watched my daughter sleep for a long time before Natasha came behind me and gazed into the crib with me.

She and I had dark pasts, we had done things that we weren’t proud of, but the strength of our family ties would illuminate the path to our future, a future that would be perfect for Anastasia and all of the other Avengers children.

**~ _Fin~_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I ended the story here but I still have to upload the epilogue!  
> This ride isn't over yet!


	28. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

Ivan was furious.

She dared to force him out of her life, HIM!!!

Her father (adopted, yes, but she didn’t even know her real father, so did it matter?) who had given her all that he could and even supported her during the tough times she faced in her teenage years.

He had accepted the fact that she was married to Dr. Bruce Banner and pregnant with his child…Until things changed.

Namely the color of little Anastasia Grace Banner’s eyes and skin.

 He had been gone for two whole months and he had returned to Russia with revenge on his mind and a plan forming in his head.

A plan that would involve a new alliance and patience.

_“The time will come when they cannot hide the child’s abnormalities, and when that time comes, I will end this sick affair once and for all!!”_

He dialed a phone number and the operator answered in Russian.

_"You've reached the operator for the Russian phone service, how may we help you?"_

Ivan replied.

_"This is Ivan Petrovich, please connect me to the Adamovich Ruby Organization."_

_"Right away sir."_

He smiled as he was connected to the one person he was certain would be dead by now.

 _"Adamovich Ruby Organization, how may we help you?",_ a young woman answered _._

_"Yes, my name is Ivan Petrovich...I would like to speak with my old friend…”_

_“Who am I connecting you to, Mr. Petrovich?”_

A sly smile slid across his lips, twisting his features as he stared out of his window at the snow-covered city of St. Petersburg. 

_“The head of the organization… Vladimir Adamovich."_

* * *

 


End file.
